Awakening of the DEAD
by swatgod971
Summary: Stephen Harrison has lost his parents and his beloved Helen. The only thing he has left to lose is his sanity but will the Zombie Apocalypse take care of that? Will he help others out or will he snap and kill everyone? Rated M for Language and Gore. R&R.
1. The Awakening

_To think it all started out like any other day. It only took 10 seconds for the school to explode into chaos. All those movies, all those video games, none of those could prepare me for what was ahead._

The bell rang which signaled the students to go to 6th period. I made my way through the crowd of students to my locker. I inserted the combo and opened the locker.

"*Sigh*, just a few more hours until school ends" I thought.

"Hey, look who it is!" a voice behind me said.

I knew that voice anywhere; I slowly turned around and saw that it was Mark Bish, captain of the football team with 2 others behind him. He pushed me against the lockers.

"Whatcha gonna do about it?" he said.

I ignored him as I always do I went to grab my books from my locker.

"Hey, I'm talkin to you!" he shouted. He shoved me again.

"Kick his ass Mark!" said one of Mark's friends. Mark paused and looked at my locket.

"What's that, It looks cool you don't mind if I take it."

Mark grabbed my locket and ripped it off. I just stood there while he took it. He opened it up and saw a picture of my parents and Helen (my ex-girlfriend). Mark laughed at it, his friends joined in. Assholes.

"Awwww, he misses his parents and his bitch." he laughed. He threw it onto the floor, the locket smacked off it. Mark and his friends laughed. I froze, staring at the locket.

"_It's time to make them pay_" a voice said. I clinched my fists in anger.

"Awww, I've struck a nerve c'mon pussy hit me" Mark said.

A crowd began to form around us they chanted, "Fight, Fight, Fight."

Stephen smiled "Come and get me you brain-dead monkey" he said.

"You little shit!" Mark screamed. He lunged forward "Your ass is mine!" he screamed. Stephen dodged his attack, Mark's fist smacked right into the lockers he howled in pain Stephen grabbed Mark's head slammed it into the lockers and he then put it into his locker he then slammed the locker door on Mark's head. Mark grabbed his head in pain he then kicked Mark's face in. His so-called friends just stood there and watched in horror as Stephen pulverized Mark's face into the floor. Everyone around them stopped chanting. Stephen stopped hitting him and looked at the crowd, they backed away. Blood had splattered on his face; it made him look like a bloodthirsty psychopath. He pointed at Mark's friends "You want some too!" he screamed. They bolted. Cowards.

He stood up and picked up his locket, Stephen bent down dangling the locket over a bloodied Mark.

"If you ever touch this again I **WILL **fucking kill you!" he screamed. The bell rang.

Some teachers made their way through the crowd.

"Alright, that's enough break it up, everyone to class now!" Mr. Philips ordered. Someone pulled Stephen off of Mark; he looked and saw it was Mr. Jones, the guidance counselor

"Come on, let's go to my office." Mr. Jones said. Stephen did as he was told, as they walked away Stephen looked back to find Mr. Philip's and another teacher helping Mark up. He began to laugh, proud of what he did. They arrived at Mr. Jones's office.

"Take a seat." Jones said. Again Stephen did what he said. Jones took a seat in his chair; he removed his glasses and sighed.

"What's gotten into you?" Jones asked. Stephen looked at his locket he opened it up. He didn't say anything.

Jones sighed.

"Stephen listen, we have no choice but to suspend you. We would've given you detention but given what you did, we don't tolerate any violence in this school." Jones continued. "Now Stephen we…"

Stephen shot out of his chair. "What the Fuck did you want me to do! Let them walk all over me, not gonna to fucking happen, not anymore!" he yelled.

Jones kept his cool "You should've informed a teacher. Teachers are there to help you." Jones said.

"Those teachers don't give two shits about us!" Stephen snapped back.

"I'm going to have to ask you to calm down and have a seat." Jones asked. Stephen picked up the chair and sat in it. He sulked for a few seconds then I looked around.

"W-Where am I?" I said. He looked at his hands he was shocked to find they were stained with blood. "W-What did I-I do?" I asked. Jones looked puzzled.

"You mean you don't remember what happened?" Jones asked. I just stared at him.

"I remember Mark was making fun of Helen then I felt a rush of anger then nothing after that, I don't even remember getting here." I said.

"You beat the holy hell out of him, smashed his face in you probably fractured his skull but we don't have the details yet." Jones said. I looked at him, I was shocked but I was also felt happy.

"Now, we've already called your uncle so your going to have to wait in the office until he picks you up, you are **not **allowed to go anywhere else." Jones ordered. "Go get your stuff."

I stood up and exited the room. Mr. Jones laid back in his chair stroking his beard "What are we going to do with you?" he thought.

I walked out of the office; I turned to head for his locker, which was on the 3rd floor, but I ran into a girl. We bonked our heads together we groaned in pain. "Watch where you're going, asshole!" she said. I was about to yell at her when he saw who she was. It was Sharon Roberts, a senior like me we used to be friends since 3rd grade until 7th grade when me and Helen started dating she stopped talking to me altogether and became a total bitch, but she got over it by 10th grade but we still didn't talk though. Now she's into motorcycles and tight leather for some reason. She looked up to see who ran into her.

"Stephen? Holy crap it's you, I haven't talked to you in ages" she said. She gave me a bear hug that nearly suffocated me.

"Okay, okay, okay please stop!" I was gasping for breath. She finally let go of me I fell down.

"Sorry about that."

I stood up "It's no problem."

"So, how are you?" she asked.

"Aside from almost being snapped in half, almost killing someone and getting suspended I'm fine." I answered back.

"Yeah, I was in the crowd, you went to town on him. I didn't know you had it in you."

"Me nether."

"You had every right to hit him. I mean what he said about them was…" I put my hand over her mouth. "Please don't Sharon I'm not in the mood." I said. Sharon's watch began to beep, she looked at it "Oh shit, sorry but I got to get going."

"I'll see you around. If you ever need someone to talk to I'm always here." She said. She began to leave when I noticed that she had dropped her goggles when we collided. "Hey, wait!" I yelled. Sharon looked back "Here you dropped these." I handed her the goggles "Thanks." She gave me a kiss on the cheek. When she turned to leave her long brown hair whipped my face, good thing I wear glasses or that would've hurt.

"Bye, Stephen" she said. I waved back to her.

I arrived at my locker; I looked at the floor and saw there was still blood there _"I knew I suffered from rage outbursts but they never got this violent before, I still can't believe I took down the captain of the football team" _I thought. I grabbed my black backpack, my hoodie and a few text books_ "Look on the bright side at least you can catch up on your homework in suspension."_ I thought. I closed the locker.

The loudspeakers uttered a high pitch ring. **"Attention all students and faculty, at this time there is a situation occurring on the school grounds! Students are advised to stay in their classrooms and await further instructions!" **it said.

_"What the hell is going on?"_ I thought.

"**We need to…Wait, what are you doing. Hey, Get away from me! No wait NO!** **GWAAHHH!"**

The classrooms fell silent. Everything stood still for about 10 seconds. It was the longest 10 seconds of my life._ "Here comes the fun part,"_ the voice said. The halls then turned to full-blown panic. Students were punching, tripping, kicking, and clawing their way out of the classrooms. Students were screaming they were practically killing each other trying to get to the stairs. I went against the wall to avoid being crushed by the mob. "Stephen, Stephen, over here!" someone yelled. I looked to find it was Karen Segal, a Junior from my math class.

"Don't just stand there, come on!" she yelled. I had to shove my way past the mob of panicking students to get to her. A student got in my way he tried to punch me but I punched him in the face before he could hit me, I probably broke his nose I had made it into the room; she slammed the door shut behind me. Two other students braced the door I didn't recognize them.

"Thanks, what are your names?" I asked. They looked at each other

"I'm Lisa, a sophomore and he's Richard, a junior," the girl said.

"Yo" Richard said.

"Okay, so what the hell is going on?" I asked. Karen pointed to the window; we were on the 3rd floor, which over looked the football field. I looked down "Good God." I said. It was pandemonium I witnessed students being eaten, others being ripped apart by other students. I also saw parts of the city, there was black smoke coming from some buildings one thing popped into my head **"Zombies!" **they were real. Finally my wish came true, the Zombie Apocalypse is happening I was teeming with excitement but I quickly got a hold of myself.

"We need to arm ourselves." I said. But this school is all about safety I doubt we'll find any firearms. Lisa opened a locker "Ah Ha!" she said. "These will do!" she pulled out a crowbar, a pole and a baseball bat. "Dibs on the bat!" Richard yelled. I took the crowbar I felt just like Gordon Freeman. Lisa took the pole. "What are you going to use Karen?" Richard asked. Karen went to the back of the room and pulled a fire axe off the wall.

"I'll use this if you don't mind." She said.

"Hell yeah!" Richard said.

We heard a girl scream on the other side of the door. We all readied our weapons.

"Okay, We're all armed now! We'll have to fight our way out." Karen said.

The excitement inside me was almost too much to bear. My hands were shaking; I finally had something to take my frustrations out on.

"Are you scared?" Lisa asked.

I looked at her with a smile on my face "No, what makes you say that."

She looked at me with a nervous expression. Karen walked to the door.

"As soon as I open this door we fight our way to the lobby." She said.

_"I told you this would be fun!"_ the voice said.

"GO!" she yelled. We ran out the door ready to face whoever or whatever was in our way.

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**This is my first story on Fanfiction, some feedback would be nice.**


	2. Pandemic

**Sorry for the wait, here's Chapter 2**_

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___

At that time I thought the city was the only one hit by the disease, I never would've imagined how bad this situation really was.

We had charged out of the door running as fast as we could down the hall, bodies were lying everywhere probably from being trampled during the panic. We found a girl being attacked by a group of zombies. She spotted us.

"Help me!" she screamed.

"Hey! Get off her!" Richard yelled. He ran at them. The zombies looked towards him. He swung at one of them; the force of the impact smashed its skull, killing it instantly it's body knocked over the group. Lisa stabbed one in the heart.

"Why won't you die!" she yelled. Karen ran up to the zombie and decapitated it "Aim for the head." Karen said. A zombie was heading for me.

"This one's mine." I said. I took my crowbar and smacked it in the face it spun around; it fell to it's knees I stabbed it in the forehead with the curved end. I put my foot on it's back and pulled as hard as I could, I heard a snap I had torn half of it's skull off, it sprayed blood as it's lifeless body fell, it started leaking brain matter onto the floor.

"You got that move off a game didn't you?" the voice asked.

"Maybe" I said back.

A zombie grabbed me; I dropped my crowbar to grab its neck to keep it from sinking its teeth into me. How could I be so stupid I let my guard down, rule number 1: never let your guard down. I was surprised how strong they were; it was almost impossible to get away from them once they grabbed you. It's breath smelled like rotten eggs and spoiled milk mixed together it made me gag. Karen flipped her axe over to the pick side, she came up from behind and stabbed it in its head, and it let go.

"Thanks." I said. She nodded.

"That's why you never let your guard down!" the voice said.

"You distracted me." I retorted.

"No excuses." It said. This voice was starting to get on my nerves.

Lisa went over to the girl "Are you alright?" she asked.

The girl looked at us and then took off running.

We stood there, baffled. "Your welcome!" Richard said sarcastically.

"Why did we even bother saving her?" the voice wondered. I was wondering that myself.

We descended the stairs; we found two more zombies munching on a corpse, we easily dispatched them.

"We're almost there." Karen said. We were almost to the 1st floor when we heard more screams coming from the lobby. We rounded a corner to find that the lobby had been overrun with Them. They were having a feeding frenzy, blood was everywhere, students were fighting in a vein effort to escape, and the crowd was too big to get through. One group was tearing apart a girl, ripping her intestines straight out as she screamed. Students and Teachers were fighting each other. It was almost laughable, how people would turn on each other when faced with certain death.

"There's no way I'm going through that!" Richard said.

"Should've known that the lobby would be crowded." Karen said.

A zombie stumbled toward us, I was pissed I raised my crowbar and smacked it twice in the head.

I screamed in frustration "Stupid piece of shit!"

More zombies noticed us they started closing in.

"Back up the stairs, now!" Karen ordered. As we ran back up the stairs Lisa tripped, dropping her weapon she grabbed her ankle in pain. We turned back to see a zombie was ready to bite into her, Richard ran past us.

"Get away from her!" He yelled. As he smashed his bat into the zombie's cranium the impact was so strong it's eyes popped out he left the bat lodged within its head. He picked her up and carried her back up the stairs.

"Thank you." She said softly. Richard didn't say anything.

"Where are we going?" I asked.

"The facility room." Karen answered.

"Why there?" Lisa asked.

"There should be supplies in there, some teachers leave their car keys inside plus we can wait for everything to calm down." She said.

We ran up to the 2nd floor, the facility room was at the other end of the hall but some zombies followed us. At that moment my brain hatched an idea. I took off my backpack and handed it to Karen "Hold this." I ordered. I ran into the room next to us I found a cart carrying up to 20 laptops, almost every classroom has a cart. I pushed it into the hallway, it was heavy probably weighs 170 lbs or something. The group looked at me.

"What in the…" Karen started.

I interrupted her "Just watch."

I started to gain momentum as I pushed it down the hallway I let go before I got to the stairs; with a thundering crash it smashed into the zombies it smeared them against the wall. One was still moving, it was trying to wiggle free but the cart had pinned its body to the wall I turned to head towards the others but I wanted to try something out first.

"What the hell are you doing? C'mon." Karen yelled out. I walked back down the stairs, when I got closer it didn't appear to notice me I got closer to examine it, it's eyes were bloodshot the pupils were glazed over, which would probably indicate they're blind, if they could smell me it would've attacked me by now, from what I can tell they don't feel pain so that means. I clapped my hand together; it growled at me trying to lunge at me but failed to realize it had been crushed it stretched its arm out to grab me, bearing its teeth at me. I punched it "Don't you dare bear your teeth at me!" I yelled. I then began beating it over the head with my crowbar.

"Just-fucking-die!" I screamed as I reduced its head into nothing but mush.

"Good, use your hate." The voice said in a deep voice.

"No thanks, Emperor." I remarked.

The voice laughed.

"Are you going to tell me who you are?" I asked.

"Not yet." it answered back. I sighed and ran back to join with the others, Karen looked at me with an annoyed face.

"What?" I asked.

"What were you doing?" Karen asked.

"I was trying something out." I answered. As I put my backpack back on.

She rolled her eyes.

As we made our way to the facility room I noticed that the halls littered with bodies, someone has already cleared this floor.

"Where are they?" Lisa asked.

I saw a shadow in the windows. "I'm pretty sure we're not the only ones who thought of this." I said.

"Then let's be careful." Richard whispered.

I slowly opened the door and was met by an elderly man in a blood soaked jumpsuit wielding a broom; he swung it at us.

"You won't get us!" he screamed. I ducked to avoid being hit but I lost my footing, I used my right arm to push myself off the floor to regain my balance I then tackled him to the ground. I put my hands around his neck and squeezed. He was gasping for air. "Stop! You're choking him!" a girl's voice called out. I looked up and saw there were others, two girls, and a boy with a green baseball cap. I let go of him he crawled away from me. I recognized him he was the janitor, Bailey.

"It's okay, we're not them." Karen reassured them.

They sighed with relief. "Jesus, I thought everyone was dead." One of the girls said.

"Everyone **is** almost dead." I replied.

"Damnit." The kid with a baseball cap sighed.

"You don't mind if we rest here for a while, do you?" I asked.

Bailey was rubbing his neck; he looked up at us "Sure go ahead just don't choke me again."

I placed my crowbar and my backpack on a desk, sat down and laid my head down.

Richard placed Lisa in a chair. She held her ankle in pain.

"Does it still hurt?" he asked.

"Yeah." She answered.

Richard stood up "Do you have any ice packs?' he asked Bailey.

"There's some in the first-aid kit above the sink." He said.

Richard went over to the sink he reached up and grabbed it. He opened it and took out an ice pack. "Let's see, squeeze and twist pack to activate." He did as the instructions said. He then placed it on her ankle she winced from the chilling sensation.

"Does it feel any better?" He asked.

"A little."

"You lost your bat back there, ya'know." She said.

"I know it's not important I did what I had to do to keep you safe." He said. She smiled at him; he looked up at her and started to blush.

"I-Um Uh, I didn't mean it like that."

I looked at the other three students. "What are your names?" I asked.

"I'm Robert," the kid in the hat said.

"I'm Amanda," the redhead said.

"And I'm her sister Amy," the blonde one added.

"We were in detention when all this happened." Robert said.

"At least I'm not the only one who was having a bad day." I said.

I looked at Bailey he was still rubbing neck.

"Sorry for choking you." I said.

"Don't worry about it."

I looked at his neck "Are you bleeding?"

He checked neck "It's not my blood." He announced.

Karen went over to me and looked at me "Are you okay?" she asked.

I sat up and looked at her, puzzled. "What do you mean?"

"Your hand, it's bleeding." She said.

I looked to find I had a large cut in my right hand. I guess the adrenaline in my system kept me from noticing it. When I looked at it the pain started to set in. "Well at least I know who's bleeding" I thought to myself.

"It's just a scratch." The voice mocked.

"Scratch? It's deep.

"Cry me a river." It said back.

"We need to get that taken care of." She added. Karen took me over to the sink she turned the water on. "First we need to clean it," She said to herself. She rolled up my sleeve and put my hand under the running water. She washed it with a wet cloth it only stung a little.

"Did one of them do this?" she asked. I thought back.

"No I think I fell on some glass when Bailey attacked us."

"Now apply pressure to the cut." She ordered. It was still bleeding I pressed down on it harder; she pulled out the first aid kit.

"You seem to know what your doing." I said.

"I took a course in first aid." She explained.

"I advise you not to use that hand for a while." She added.

"Did I ever thank you for helping me out." I asked.

"Yeah, you did."

"Oh."

"So what were you trying out back there?" she asked.

"I know it wasn't the right time to check but…" I began.

"I wanted to check if the zombies have any of their senses."

"And what did you find out?" she asked.

"They hunt by sound, they don't feel pain, they're blind, seems as though they can't smell either."

Bailey must've overheard us. "Well that makes things easier. We could easily sneak around them."

"True but I don't know if they all hunt by sound. It could have been only that one zombie for all I know."

"Hmm." Bailey started thinking and walked away.

Karen finished wrapping my wound. I looked at my hand there was still a little pain but nothing I can't handle.

She patted me on the shoulder "Congrats, you didn't cry." She joked.

"Any ideas what is happening outside?" Karen asked the others.

"Not that I know of." Robert answered back.

"Don't you guys have cell phones?" I asked them.

"We already tried that, we can't get a signal in this damn building." Robert said.

"Are there any car keys around?"

"No, we already checked." Robert answered.

I looked around the room and spotted a TV.

"Does that still work." I asked Bailey.

"It should." He picked up the remote and pressed the power button.

"Try the News," Amy said.

The TV buzzed to life, everyone gathered around.

"**The Central Security office requests that all citizens remain indoors. If at all possible, please stay in your homes." **The newscasters began.

"**Also, please close any windows or other potential entrance ways. The government is advising people to keep others out of their homes." **They continued.

He started flipping through the channels

"**The President of the United States and his cabinet have fled the White House."**

"Well this is just fuckin fantastic." Richard said.

"Be quiet." Bailey said.

**"At this time the United States is working to get these bizarre occurrences under control. Furthermore the United States is preparing their nuclear weapons. Critics say that if actions are taken circumstances would be dire." "In comparison, London is having relatively few troubles maintaining public order, but the prevalence of looting in Paris and Rome is staggering…" **

"Great, the whole world is going to hell." Bailey said.

"It's a pandemic." Karen suggested.

"Pandemic?" Amy wondered.

"A Pandemic is an outbreak of an infectious disease that has spread across a large area, a continent, or in our case the entire world," Karen answered.

"It's like Smallpox or TB." I added.

"Exactly." Karen replied.

"It's going to take a while for the military to get this situation under control." She proclaimed.

"If they **can** control it." Richard remarked. Amanda tried to reassure us "I'm sure the military will sort this whole thing out."

"The military isn't trained for this." I said.

"But they will figure something out then come rescue us. They wouldn't abandon us."

"I hate to break it to you but if they can't control this by regular means, their dropping the nuke." I said.

"Plus they rescue important people first. I doubt they'll come looking for us," I added.

"Alright that's enough! Bickering about this won't solve anything." Bailey explained. We then heard helicopters flying overhead.

We looked out the window.

"See, I told you they wouldn't abandon us." Amanda exclaimed. The helicopters flew towards the city.

"Come back! We're here!" she yelled.

"Why does everyone yell for the helicopter, when the pilots can't hear them?" the voice asked. I didn't know the answer.

Bailey started thinking. "We need to follow them." He said.

We looked at him, "Don't you see those were Chinooks being escorted by Black Hawks, if they're using Chinooks for transport they need a big area to land in and the largest area is the Park on the other side of the city. That should be our objective."

We all looked at each other. "It's a good plan and all but how exactly are we going to get to the park you expect us to walk all the way there with a city full of undead cannibals. We would need a vehicle." Richard explained.

Bailey walked back over to the window he pointed at a school bus. "See that? I know how to hotwire one, if we can make it there we can use that as an escape vehicle."

Karen reached into her pocket, she pulled out some keys "I have a car, it's a 4-door Sedan but we could still use it."

"There's just one problem the lobby is crawling with Them how are we going to get through?" Lisa asked.

"What about a back way?" I asked.

"Already tried that, it's locked." Bailey proclaimed.

"Don't you have the keys?"

"No, I dropped them."

"We could sneak right by them."

"I don't know about that." I said.

"Like you said they hunt by sound so it should be easy." Bailey suggested.

"I'm still not sure."

"What if someone makes noise while we're sneaking by them it will turn into a massacre?" Robert asked.

"Then we'll have to go one at a time, if someone does cause some noise then fight your way through them." Bailey went to the door

"Are you kids ready? He asked.

"You're going to need a weapon." I suggested to him.

He cracked his knuckles "I may be old but I haven't forgotten what the Special Forces taught me plus I'm faster without one."

Everyone grabbed their weapons "Alright follow my lead and I promise I'll get you kids out of here." Bailey said.

"We may be young but we know how to hold our own." I added.

Bailey shrugged his shoulders and chuckled. "Alright let's go!"

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**Review plz**


	3. Decisions

_When someone falls behind you have two options either you leave them behind to die or you stay with them, I find I made the right choice...sort of._

We slowly made our to the lobby, the screams had stopped.

Bailey poked his head out to see. The zombies were just stumbling around. "Alright I see a path through them," he whispered.

He looked back at us "They're just wondering around completely oblivious, I'll go first when I get to the door I'll wave back that's when you guys make your way through them, the next person follows every 5 seconds that way we aren't all bunched up."

He quietly and carefully began to walk through the lobby. Everyone was on edge if he made one mistake he was done for.

"_I bet he's going to make noise right at the door."_ The voice said.

He had made his way through them, careful not to bump into anything; he slowly opened the front door, and beckoned us to come over. We looked at each other, who would be the first to go?

"Uh…Guess I'll go first." I volunteered. Before I could go Karen gently grabbed my arm. "Be careful," she said. I nodded back at her. I took some deep breaths and started walking.

"_Just remember if you fuck up there's no restart button to save you."_ The voice said.

As I slowly made my way through Them, a zombie stumbled in my direction.

"_Oh shit!"_ I thought.

"_No, no, no, no don't panic." _

I had just enough room to let it pass, I held my breath as best I could the only sound I could hear was my own heartbeat, as it did the smell of it hit me I remember wanting to vomit so badly, I had no choice but to swallow the bile back down. It finally went past me I let out a little sigh of relief, the zombie then slipped on a dismembered arm, it's face smacked off the floor. I put my hands over my mouth to keep myself from laughing. I could see Robert coming this way; 5seconds must've been up.

"_Uh door, now!" _the voice reminded me.

I finally made it to the door; I looked at Bailey he gave me a thumbs up. All we had to do was to wait for the others; Robert managed to get through them without a hinge. Richard was next; he was carrying Lisa on his back. But he didn't seem to be having too much trouble getting through the crowd. Amy, Amanda, and Karen were trailing behind him.

Bailey started heading for the bus. I kept thinking to myself "_Almost there." _

We were almost out when the fire alarm went off; it scared the hell out of us with its ear-piercing siren. Amy covered her ears and screamed, "Make it stop!"

The zombies turned their attention to us.

"_Aw crap. I knew something was going to happen."_

"So much for stealth!" I pulled out my crowbar and hit the nearest zombie.

"RUN!" I yelled. We made a run for the bus. Bailey heard the commotion he jumped out of the driver seat.

"Who the hell tripped the alarm?" he asked.

"I don't know just get this thing moving."

Bailey jumped back in and began fumbling with the ignition. The zombies were closing in.

"Hurry up!" I ordered.

"This is more difficult then it looks!"

Richard managed to make it into the bus he placed Lisa in a seat.

"Stay here." He ordered her. He turned to help defend the bus from the incoming horde, realizing he has no weapon he looked at Bailey.

"Is there anything on this bus I can use as a weapon?" he asked.

Bailey reached under the driver seat and pulled out a crowbar, "All school buses have these." He handed it to Richard. He jumped off the bus and joined me; we were surrounded. One of Them got too close Richard stabbed it in the eye it kept moving, he plunged it deeper into it's skull, he kicked it away we then began slashing into the crowd. It was a little difficult to use my left arm since I'm better with my right arm. Robert and Amy came running towards us, a zombie got in their way.

"Get outta my way!" he screamed. He jumped in the air and flat out dropkicked it in the chin sending it flying.

The buses engine roared to life. "Yes!" Bailey screamed with joy. We all piled onto the bus, Bailey closed the door the zombies pressed up against it. We were set to go but something was missing then I realized.

"Wait! Where are Karen and Amanda!"

Robert shot up "We can't help them!"

"He's right, forget about them!" Amy agreed. I couldn't believe what I had just heard.

"What! That's your own sister you're talking about!" I argued.

"What are we going to do?" Richard asked. I could see that he didn't want to leave them neither did Bailey or Lisa.

"_Please, tell me your not going to do what I think your going to do."_ The voice pleaded with me.

"Exactly."

I looked at Bailey, "Get these guys out of here." I went to the back of the bus.

"You sure you want to do this." He asked.

"Yeah, I'll get them out just GO!" There wasn't that many zombies in the back, I jumped out of the bus and slammed the door shut.

"_Your going to get us both killed."_ The voice remarked.

The bus sped off into the distance honking its horn, which kept the zombie distracted for a while. Running over any zombie that got in its way. I could hear zombies being crushed under the weight of the bus; it was the sweetest sound in the world. I ran for the entrance bashing anything that got in my way, I tried to open the door they wouldn't. I remembered that they couldn't be opened from the outside I ran around to find another entryway I found a broken window but They were in my way.

"Why are you always in my goddamn way!" I swung at them more blood sprayed everywhere as my crowbar ripped through their flesh. To my dismay it slipped out of my hand.

"_Aw Fuck!" I thought._

"_Way to screw yourself."_

I jumped into the window one of Them grabbed my leg I kicked in its teeth but it wouldn't let go "Get off me NOW!" I put all my strength into the next kick; it sent the zombie flying, finally letting go. I flipped into the room onto my back; I laid there for a few minutes to catch my breath. I sat up to check my legs for bites, nothing. I got up and exited the room there wasn't as many zombies as there was before and the alarm had stopped.

"_It's going to suck if they're already dead." _The voice said.

"Karen's a strong person she's still alive, I just know it."

_"Really? You know her that well?"_

"You need to learn to shut the hell up."

_"I'm inside your head you need to get used to it." _I just sighed and went on.

I started looking around they weren't in the lobby, auditorium, office, facility room, cafeteria, 2nd floor, or even the 3rd floor. I went back down to the lobby. But the whole time I was looking for them it felt as if someone was watching me.

"There's one place I haven't checked yet."

"_The Gym." _The voice answered. As I walked down a hallway I spotted Karen's axe lying in front of the door. I picked it up as I did I heard a noise coming from inside the gym. The door was barricaded I started to take it apart; I pushed open the door and saw Karen and Amanda lying in the middle of the dimly lit gym. _"This doesn't feel right" _the voice said. I rushed to them. I gently shook them. "Hey, c'mon wake up." Amanda didn't wake up but she was still breathing. Karen groaned as if waking up from a long nap. She slowly got up holding the back of her head.

"Ow." She muttered.

"You okay?"

She looked at me "I have a splitting headache but I'm fine." She then looked at Amanda "Is she okay?"

"She won't wake up but she's still breathing."

"What happened?"

"When the alarm went off we tried to fight our way through Them but there were too many, they cut off the route to the stairs. These two guys yelled at us to get to the Gym they fought Them off while we got in, then I was hit by something next thing I know you were waking me up.

"Wait, where are they?"

"There was no one here besides you two."

"That's not…" we were interrupted by the door being slamming shut.

"_It's a trap!"_ the voice blurted out.

Two figures came out from the shadows holding bats.

"Who are you?" I asked. They didn't say anything.

I raised my axe "Answer the question!"

They took a few steps closer I saw their faces I recognized them.

They both were big guys one had a shaved head, and the other had blonde curly hair.

"Uh oh."

The all the lights suddenly turned on, it blinded me for a moment.

"Well look who it is!" a voice behind me said. It sent shivers down my spine I knew that voice anywhere. I looked over my shoulder, my eyes went wide "No...Not you!"


	4. Payback

_When you threaten me, I ignore you but when you threaten my friend's life, you better expect to pay the consequences._

"Mark Bish, still alive I see." I said with an annoyed voice.

"_Ah great him again, I thought I straightened him out good. I knew I should've hit him harder." _The voice said.

"That's right I'm still alive and kickin'. So Stephen. How are you? Doing well I hope." He said with a joyous expression.

"Really? Because you look like crap." And I was right his clothes were torn and blood stained, his face was covered in cuts and bruises, a few teeth were missing and gauze was wrapped around his left eye. But he still maintained that damn cocky smile; I couldn't bear the sight of it.

"_Did you do that?"_ I asked the voice.

"_You bet your ass I did."_

I looked at Mark's friends and then back at him.

"You guys realize there's a zombie outbreak going on, right?" I asked him.

They looked at each other "Yes we do, and it's the perfect time to get some payback." Mark answered.

"Wait, what?"

"Think about it with the whole world in chaos it's very difficult for the cops to maintain order, which means we can do whatever we want."

"You see," he started.

"After you kicked the crap out of me, the teachers had to put me in the nurses office because something was happening at the hospital, after they stopped the bleeding and patched me up I had to wait for my parents to pick me up. After waiting 30 minutes the speakers went on and told us that something had happened I didn't give a damn what happened so I took a nap. Then I heard screams coming from the hallway I got up and went to check it out, to my surprise I find a teacher biting into a girl, he tore a chuck out of her neck. At first I thought I was seeing things because I did get my head smashed until he turned to me and began stumbling in my direction. I still thought I was seeing things he grabbed me and tried to eat me, I punched him but he wouldn't let go I kept on punching him, then Dale and Bob here came up from behind, pulled it off then Dale smacked it in the head with a bat."

"By the way thanks for that Dale." He said to the guy with the shaved head. He gave him a thumbs up.

"After waiting awhile everything got quiet when we tried to leave that's when we saw you making your way towards the entrance. My hatred towards you began to boil inside of me. How was a pathetic piece of shit like you still alive? I wanted to watch those freaks rip you apart, that's why I pulled the fire alarm."

"Why would you do that?" Karen asked.

Mark's smile vanished from his face. "Why? I'll tell you why." He pointed to me "It's because of that little asshole right there."

Karen looked at me I could tell she was confused ; I guess she didn't see the fight.

"Do you know what it feels like to be publicly humiliated by getting your ass kicked by a weakling?"

"Uhh…" Karen said.

"No you don't!" he shouted.

"And now you're going to pay for it!"

"I was hoping the zombies would've ripped you apart when I pulled that alarm…"

I looked at Karen she looked at me.

"…But when that failed I had to use your girlfriend here as bait to lure you back here. I just knew you wouldn't abandon such a fine piece of ass like hers."

Karen hissed in disgust.

"She's not my girlfriend." I retorted.

Mark shrugged his shoulders "Whether she is or not, I really don't give a damn." He then nodded to Bob, the blonde one.

Bob grabbed Karen. "Hey, let me go!" she yelled.

"Don't you touch her!" I screamed. I charged but was interrupted by Dale, who punched me in the stomach, I dropped the axe and fell to my knees I held my stomach in pain I felt as if I were on the verge of throwing up.

Mark walked towards me "And now your girlfriend is going to watch as I beat the shit out of you."

I looked at Karen I could see terror in her eyes. I let a smile escape me. "Close your eyes, I'll be okay." I said calmly. She closed her eyes, but in the back of my mind I didn't know if I was going to be okay.

Mark tore off my backpack and threw it across the floor then he kicked me in the back I held in the pain, he picked me up by the neck and proceeded to punch me in the stomach I tried my best not to let out a cry or a whimper he kept punching the same area over and over and over again he then punched me in the kidneys I fell to the ground. I tried to catch my breath but every time I took one it felt like someone was stabbing my lungs with an ice pick, he then stepped on my right hand I could feel the cut reopen I still didn't scream because that's exactly what he wants me to do. He picked me up again by the neck and squeezed.

"I want to hear you beg for your life." He said.

"F-F-uc-k yo-u!" I muttered.

Mark got even angrier he punched me in the jaw my glasses flew off. My locket caught his eye. "Still wearing that shit?" He spat at me. Once again he ripped it off and threw it to the ground.

"What'cha gonna do about it!"

I just stared into his eyes _"This dickhead never learns does he?" _the voice said.

Karen had enough she struggled to get free, she then bit Bob's arm he screamed in pain she broke free to try and help me but it was in vain as Dale punched her in the back of the head. He must'vehit her hard because she fell to the ground. "Not again." She muttered before slipping into unconsciousness.

Mark snapped at Bob. "Jesus Christ, can't you watch over a freaking girl."

"She fuckin bit me!" he argued.

Mark turned his attention towards me. "I must say you've got one helluva girl there but let's not forget that cute little redhead. After I'm done with you me and the boys are going to have some fun with them." They all laughed I clinched my fists in anger, I felt so fucking helpless I could imagine the girls screaming for help but no one would hear them. Mark wrapped his hands around my neck, making it very difficult to breathe. He picked me and started to strangle me. I could feel the life draining out of me as I desperately gasped for breath; my vision was starting to blacken.

I kept thinking "No, not now! Not yet!"

"I'll take care of it." The voice reassured me.

Stephen stopped breathing Mark felt satisfied. "I think he's dead," Dale said.

"Finally…" Mark's grip began to lessen "…this little faggot is dead."

Stephen's blank expression turned to a sadistic smile. "Never let your guard down."

Mark was shocked "How the…" Stephen then sent his fist into Mark's already broken nose. He let go and stumbling back. They stared at Stephen in awe. Stephen dusted himself off; he took off his hoodie and tied it around his waist then glared at them. "What are you fuckers waiting for?" He got into a fighting stance "I'm right here!" Mark looked at his friends "Well go get him!" They looked at each other then charged at him, bats at the ready. Bob swung first Stephen calmly stepped back the bat missed him by an inch. He yanked the bat out of Bob's hands and swung it into his stomach. Dale tried to surprise Stephen but he performed a roundhouse kick to Dale's face sending him flying, landing next to Mark.

"And you call me the weakling" Stephen muttered.

Stephen threw the bat back at Bob. "You guys are fucking pathetic." He mocked.

In a fit of rage Bob picked it up and charged again. Stephen sighed, "You guys never learn. Do you?"

"Your mine!" Bob shouted, confident that he would win. As the bat came down Stephen grabbed it with only one hand. "Pitiful" he once again yanked the bat out of his hands and swung directly into Bob's knees, before Bob knew it his kneecaps had blown out the back of his legs Bob fell to the floor howling in agony, oh such sweet agony. Stephen's smile grew even bigger; Bob had been crying his eyes out. Dale and Mark just stood there, watching in horror.

"You sick bastard!" Dale blurted out.

"Am I now?" Stephen said in a deep voice.

Stephen stepped on Bob's arms until he heard them snap. Bob cried even harder. Dale charged in to save his friend. Stephen dodged the attack and right hooked him sending him flying off his feet and smacking face first onto the floor, as if not missing a beat Stephen jumped on him and twisted Dale's head all the way around. Stephen got up and walked over to Bob.

"P-Plea-se do-n't" he begged.

Stephen raised his foot and slammed it down hard on Bob's skull, killing him.

Stephen cracked his neck, "Next!"

Mark then stabbed him in the back with a pocketknife, Stephen didn't flinch instead his smile disappeared. Mark thought he had won but he was stunned when Stephen pulled out the knife "You missed by a couple of inches." He told Mark. Mark fell over trying to get away, Stephen slowly walked towards him.

"Now…" Stephen licked the blade tasting his own blood "…I want to hear you beg."

Mark got up on his knees and started begging for his life. Stephen reached into Mark's coat pocket and pulled out his locket he opened it up.

"What did I say last time!" Stephen said. Mark looked at him, confused. "Let me refresh your memory." He jammed the knife into Mark's stomach "Look at me." Mark was too focused on the wound, Stephen snapped at him "**LOOK AT ME!**"

Mark looked into his eyes they were full of hate "If you **EVER** touched this again I would fucking KILL you!" he drove the knife deeper in. "S-Stephen please!" he begged. He puched it even deeper.

"Stephen's not here." He said as he violently pulled the knife out along with Mark's intestines."It's Drake!" he said as Mark let out a bloodcurdling scream blood was spaying out of him, Mark's skin turned pale which was a sign he was on the verge of dying.

"But wait, there's more." Drake said joyously. He grabbed the intestines and wrapped them around Mark's neck. He kicked him down and pulled as hard as he could, the intestines were slippery. Drake placed his foot on Mark's head and pulled tighter he then raised his foot and slammed it down onto his neck, he heard a loud snap, and just like that Mark's neck was broken.

Drake stood over his victims, trumpet he held his arm out and screamed, "**I'VE WOOOOOOONNNNNNN!**"

The center of the gym was now painted in blood. He folded the knife and placed it in his pocket then looked at himself "Oh dear, I've made quite a mess." He untied his hoodie and put it back on. He also put his backpack and glasses back on. Next he went to pick up some weapons, he stuffed his pack with the 2 baseball bats and the axe then made his way into the boy's locker room to wash the blood off. He turned the sink on and ran his hands under the water. "Stephen would probably freak out if he knew what I did but it felt so damn good." He washed his face with a cloth after he was done the sink had blood still in it, he stared into the mirror "You look like hell." He said to himself. "You don't look so good yourself." The reflection said back. Drake punched the mirror. "No one asked you." He said. He walked back out into the gym and saw that the zombies were breaking in.

"Aw shit!" he exclaimed. He didn't want to be lunch for Them luckily the back doors in the gym lead outside. There were too many of Them he couldn't fight them all. He started for the door when he realized Karen and Amanda were still knocked out. "Damnit" he muttered. "Stephen would probably kill me if I left them." He picked Amanda up and put her over his shoulder then he picked up Karen and carried them toward the exit. When he opened the door the sunlight blinded him for a second. Drake placed both of them on the ground and closed the door.

Drake looked around no zombies were in sight, from where he was standing he could see the parking lot. Amanda finally woke up she looked to be in a daze she looked up at him.

"You came back."

"*Sigh* Unfortunately." He muttered.

"Hey, do you hear any ringing?" she asked.

"Maybe it's because you have a concussion from being hit too hard." He could tell just by looking at her. He went to wake up Karen he began poking her.

"Wake up, wake up, wake up, c'mon wake the fuck up."

She swatted his hand away "Stop, I'm up, I'm up!" she slowly sat up, holding the back of her head. "Owww…Why did that asshole have to hit me so hard…"

She stopped. "What happened to them?"

"Dead" he answered. She looked at him, surprised.

"Told you, I'd be okay."

She let out a sigh of relief. "Why are you covered in blood?" she asked.

"Long story."

"Ooookay." He then reached into her pocket, "What the…" she said. He then pulled out her keys.

"Where did you park?"

Karen was baffled, "You don't go reaching into someone's pants without their permission!"

Drake just stared at her. "S-Stop looking at me like that!" she nervously said.

He moved closer to her "Why?" he said softly. He leaned in and whispered in her ear "Do I make you nervous?" Karen's face turned red, she then pushed him away.

"T-This isn't the time to be joking."

Amanda interrupted them "Can we please get moving."

"Right…Um…I parked on the right side, it's a red Honda Accord."

"Alright lets go." Drake ordered.

"Where's my axe?"

He unslung his backpack, opened it up and pulled out a bat and the axe. "Take your pick."

She took the axe. "_Why am I not surprised?_" he thought to himself.

"I feel more comfortable with a sharp object, then a blunt one."

"I'll take the bat." Amanda said.

"Can you even stand up straight?" he asked her.

"Well…Uh…" she began to stand up but lost her balance and fell against him.

"Guess I'll have to carry you then." Drake sighed.

He handed Karen his backpack, she put it on. He then picked up Amanda. "Can we get moving now?"

Karen nodded.

They made it to the parking lot, only a few zombies were in the way that's the good news, the bad news is most of Them were blocking the front gate.

"Okay we sneak around Them, quickly and quietly." Karen said.

"Yeah, because that worked out so well last time." Drake said.

Karen just rolled her eyes. "They have sharp hearing if we open the doors their going to know we're there. Even if we try to open it quietly." He added.

Karen took a deep breath. "On 3 we move, got it?" Drake nodded in agreement.

"1…2…"

She looked back "You sure your ready?" she asked.

"Yes we're sure. Can we please leave this place."

"3!"

They ran towards the car. The zombies were now aware of their presence. Karen swung at one of Them, tearing its skull apart.

Drake got to the car first; he placed Amanda against it, reached into his pocket and pulled out the car keys, unlocked it and placed her in the back seat.

"Stephen behind you!" she yelled.

One of Them had slipped by Karen and snuck up on him. It grabbed him desperately trying to take a bite out of him, it was drooling blood. He headbutted it in the nose, it stumbled back he then placed his hand on the back of it's head and the other on it's chin, with a twisting motion he broke it's neck.

"Not so tough now, are you!" he yelled. Karen made it to the car, "I'm driving!"

"Wait, What?"

"It is my car after all."

"*Sigh* fine." He tossed her the keys and went around to the passenger side. They piled into the car, started it up and took off. Karen spotted the mob blocking the exit.

"Hold on!" she yelled. She floored it, the car began to gain more momentum, just enough to get through. The car collided with the group with a thundering crash, which sent the zombie flying, their bloodied faces left imprints on the hood and windshield. Karen kept her foot on the pedal, Drake watched in amazement, while Amanda covered her ears so she wouldn't hear the commotion.

Finally they were away from the school, but what hell would lie ahead of them?

* * *

**Tell me what you think of the story so far. It would be greatly appreciated.**


	5. Old Friend, New Problems

**Sorry for the delay, I had some projects to finish in school...Here's Chapter 5**

* * *

_We finally made it out of that school but I had some surprises waiting for me._

The school faded into the distance, it felt good to be out of there. Now all we have to do is to get to the park I don't know how far this car will take us though.

"How are you doing back there?" Karen asked Amanda.

Amanda looked at her, "My head still hurts but I'm fine." She answered.

"Maybe you should lie down." Karen suggested. She agreed and laid down.

Drake tried to relax, closing his eyes to rest for a bit but he found it almost impossible. "Are you okay?" she asked.

I opened my eyes I looked around, bewildered. It took me awhile to figure out where I was, I looked back to see the school vanish in the distance. I fell back into my seat a wave of relief swept over me.

"_I assume I should be thanking you for getting us out of there. Am I right?" _I asked the voice.

"_Yeah you should. I did enjoy ripping apart those muscle bound assholes."_

"_You…killed them?"_

"_I told you I would take care of it. The name's Drake by the way." _I looked at my clothes I wasn't really surprised to find more blood on it. I felt something in my pocket I reached in and pulled out a pocketknife I unfolded it; the blade had bloodstains on it.

"_What did you do?" _

"_I made them pay. I made Mark beg for his life, his screams still echo inside me it's almost orgasmic." _Drake began to joyfully hum to himself.

"_You're fucking demented_."

Drake busted out laughing.

Karen kept her eyes on the road; careful not to hit anything the car couldn't take another run-in with Them.

I looked towards the city black smoke was still rising from it. "That's not a good sight." I announced.

"We should stop by my apartment on our way to the park to rest up." She suggested I nodded in agreement.

The roads didn't look so bad a few wrecked cars, bodies on the sidewalks, cats and dogs roamed the streets the sound of moaning could be heard in the alleyways no living person in sight, it was like a ghost town. Karen slammed on the brakes the came to a screeching halt I almost went face first into the dashboard but I stopped myself before that happened. Amanda woke up and slowly sat up, still groggy "What, what's going on?" Karen pointed in front of us a pile-up had occurred.

"Let's find another way." I suggested.

"Wasn't there a turn back there?"

"No dice that was blocked too." Karen said.

I looked around, I spotted an abandon Semi a ways back an idea popped into my head I looked at Karen with a smile on my face. "What?" she asked. I pointed to the Semi. "Oh great." She muttered.

She backed up her car until she was right next to the big rig. I hopped out of the car to examine the Semi. I climbed into the cab, "_Seems like the driver bailed out at some point_."

"This'll work it's still running." I said to myself. Karen climbed up to the cab.

"You sure about this?" She asked.

"Yeah, I just need to ram the roadblock. You should move your car."

"Crazy bastard." She sighed. She ran back to her car and moved it.

I took a deep breath. "_Do you even know how to drive one of these things?_" Drake asked.

"How hard could it be?" I pushed down on the gas but the truck wouldn't move. "What the…"

"_*Sigh* push down on the cultch to shift gears then accelerate_." Drake said.

I did what he said the big rig started to move. "It should pick up enough speed to smash through it."

It sped down the road, I honked it's horn it roared it's war cry "I've always wanted to that" I was coming up on the roadblock "Okay here we go." I braced myself. With a thundering crash it slammed into the roadblock sending some cars flying, the cab vibrated from the impact I nearly slammed my head into the steering wheel. I had successfully blasted through clearing a path for the others I stepped on the brake until it came to a stop. I sat back in the seat then jumped out of the truck and walked towards Karen's car, waving to her when I heard that all too familiar moaning.

"_They're here_" I thought. Before I knew it They had surrounded me cutting me off from the car. I was astounded how They could come out of practically nowhere and surround you in a matter of moments.

I then realized I had forgotten my weapons in the car and the crowd was too thick to get past. I had no choice but to back away. Karen got out of her car to see what was happening.

"Stephen!" she yelled.

"I'm okay, head for your apartment I'll meet you there! I promise!" I yelled back.

"My place is on the corner of Franklin Street on the top floor 4E!" She yelled before getting back in her car and driving off.

"*Sigh* why does this keep happening?" I said out loud.

No one answered. I ran in the opposite direction dodging any infected in my way.

* * *

"Do you think he will be alright?" Amanda asked.

Karen paused for a moment "Yeah I'm sure he is, he has to be."

"Awwww you like him, don't you."

Karen looked at her "No! W-what gave you that idea?"

Amanda sat back in her seat and shrugged her shoulders "I just know."

* * *

I reached an intersection, leaning against a sign to catch my breath.

"I think I lost Them."

"_Congrats but you're still stuck in this damn city._"

"Your a buzz kill, you know that."

"Where the hell am I?" Asking not expecting a response.

Nothing, I began walking down the street. It was kind of eerie, no zombies in sight, no one around just the sound of my own footsteps and the wind. I began to hear a buzzing noise, "You hear that?" I asked Drake.

"Yeah"

I looked back I saw something moving fast in my direction the buzzing got louder, I recognized the noise it was a motorcycle.

Something shined in my eyes something sharp.

"_Oh shit!" _The figure swung at me I jumped back to avoid the sharp blade. The bike turned around I quickly got back up, the bike slowed to a stop next to me. The figure was a girl wielding a machete.

"Sorry about that. I thought you were one of Them." She said.

"Who are you?" I asked looking up at her. She didn't say anything she got off her bike placing her machete into it's sheathe she wore a tight leather jumpsuit with elbow and kneepads she got off her bike. She took a step towards me I backed away.

"You don't recognize me?" she removed her helmet.

"Good to see you're still alive." She said with a smile, tossing her hair out of her face. I recognized her right away it was Sharon Roberts. I let out a sigh of relief; at least it's someone I know. She placed her helmet on the bike and came over to hug me; once again she practically squeezed the life out of me.

"Okay, Okay p-please stop…I'm…already…in pain as it is!"

She quickly let go, "Sorry, I can't help it."

I only sighed, "So what are you doing here?" I asked.

"Killing zombies."

I folded my arms "Seriously, why are you here? It's not that I'm grateful to see you it's just I want to know why."

"If you must know. I was on my way back to the school to come get y…I mean others…to save others I mean."

"Uh huh, and how exactly were you planning to rescue others with only a motorcycle?"

"Umm..."

"Anyway, I wouldn't go back there. It's overrun and I doubt anyone is still alive there."

She took a moment to absorb the information she had just received.

She sighed, "Sooo what now." I asked.

"After that, I was going to find out where the helicopters were going."

"Their heading for the Park" I told her.

"You sure?"

"It's the biggest area in the city."

"Alright let's go there." She got back on her bike.

"Wait, I need to get to Franklin Street first."

She shrugged her shoulders "Why?"

"I promised someone I'd meet her at her apartment before heading for the park."

"This girl…" Sharon clinched her fists "…is she a friend?"

"We're not exactly friends but without her I probably wouldn't be here."

"Franklin Street is a long way away from here it could take awhile for us to get there…that is of course the undead aren't blocking our way."

I put my hands together "Alright lets go"

"Hop on then."

I looked at the bike "What's wrong never been on a GSX1250 before?"

"Uh…no I have not."

"Don't worry just hang on tight and you'll be fine." She said trying to ease my nerves.

Drake couldn't contain himself _"She is so smokin hot!"_

"_Down boy."_ Stopping him from getting any ideas.

I got on the bike I didn't feel comfortable wrapping my arms around her, but I didn't want to fall off and into the pavement.

"C'mon I don't bite…much."

I wrapped my arms around her, as I did one of my hands grazed her breast I swear I felt her shiver.

"One more thing…" Drake began.

"_What now?"_ I asked as if I didn't already know

"…_Don't have an erection."_

She put the helmet back on. I looked around, "Uh, got an extra one?" I asked.

Sharon didn't look back "Nope" she answered bluntly. She turned on the bike, it vibrated between our legs, "Hear that? That's 1255cc's right there."

"I have no idea what that is! I'm not into motorcycles!" I said raising my voice to where she could hear me.

She revved the bike; the noise would no doubt attract more of Them. "Hang on!" she yelled. The bike peeled out, I nearly fell off we must've gone from 0 to 70 in a second or something. We zipped past abandon cars, empty houses, and the undead. It definitely got my heart racing the roar of the engine filled the empty street, the wind blowing through my hair. Drake was too busy laughing, like a little kid receiving a gift he's always wanted or like a serial killer, torturing his victim before slicing their jugular.

"How are you doing back there!" she asked.

I could barely hear her, "What?"

"HOW ARE YOU DOING BACK THERE!"

"Just dandy!"

A group of zombies were in our way, she turned into an alley it was narrow but devoid of life. We reached the end she applied the handbrake to execute a sharp turn, the bike leaned to the side I could almost touch the pavement then sped off.

My heart felt as if it was about to burst out of my chest. "For the love of god don't do that again!"

"What, can't handle it!"

I didn't want to answer her. We were crossing Charles Bridge when an F-15 roared overhead. "Woo, they're still flying jets!" Sharon excitedly yelled out.

"_You can't evacuate people with fighter jets."_ I thought to myself, but I was relieved to know they hadn't forgotten about us…yet.

I was a little skeptical about the military rescue operation. "Hey, can I ask you a question!" Sharon asked.

"Sure." I agreed to answer.

"What's happening in the world?" she asked.

"Well…let's see where to begin..." I thought about what to say.

"Ah, this disease or whatever it is, is worldwide every country is infected."

"How are they responding to it?"

"London's bombing everything to keep everything in check, The US is having difficulty maintaining order, the President has been evacuated…"

"I don't care about that asshole!" Sharon interrupted.

"Ok then…I don't know about China or Russia. France is in chaos, and I think Japan's in the same boat we are. That's all I know right now."

"Shit, I won't be able to finish my manga anytime soon."

I rolled my eyes; the sun was going down, the sight of the river shining in the light was almost breathtaking.

"It'll be dark soon." Sharon pointed out.

"Yeah, I know."

"Should we keep going? My house isn't that far from here we could stop there for the night." She suggested.

I was a little uncomfortable about spending the night at her house but fighting the undead at night isn't a good idea.

"_Going to her place, huh?"_ Drake said.

_"I bet…"_

I cut him off _"Don't you even say it!"_

Drake didn't say anything back.

"Hey, does that sound alright?" she asked.

I snapped out of it, "Uh…Yeah sounds good." We had just made it over the bridge when I spotted something out of the corner of my eye.

"**Stop!**" I ordered. Sharon immediately applied the brake; I jumped off the bike and ran to the car.

"What the fuck are you doing!" she yelled. She turned off the bike and ran after me.

"What the hell is up with you!" she asked.

"I know this car, this is…this is my uncle's car" I explained.

We looked at it. "Annnnd, this helps us how?" Sharon asked.

"He could still be alive…somewhere."

"And how the hell do you know that?"

"He's a security guard, he's a big guy and an ex-SWAT officer so he would know how to take care of himself."

"So he's a security guard that still doesn't help us."

"What's up with you? You seem to be annoyed." I calmly asked.

"I don't see why we should've stopped when you could've told me it was his car."

"He always keeps extra guns around. Either in the glove compartment or in the trunk."

She clapped her hands "Now we have a reason to stop."

We began to examine the car. "Glove compartment's empty." I told her.

"Pop the trunk." She asked.

"Hang on" I reached under the steering wheel and push the button, the trunk popped open.

"Hey Steve, check what I found." I ran over to her she pulled out a .357 Magnum, a speed loader and a box with 10 shells inside.

"_Oh hell yeah."_ Drake and me said at the same time. Sharon handed me the revolver I took it from her hand it was heavy I began to smile, a real gun in the palm of my hand. I've never really held a gun before only in video games.

I opened the cylinder up all 6 chambers were already loaded I then swung it back into the gun.

"_This is great."_ I thought

"Are you sure you don't want this" I asked her.

"Yeah…I…uh have issues with guns."

"Do you want to talk about it?"

"No, I don't!" she yelled.

"No need to bite my head off." I placed the shells in my pocket.

Sharon stared at me intently twirling her hair around her finger, I looked back at her but she looked away.

"I'll uh…go start up the bike." She walked off.

"_What's up with her?" _I asked Drake.

"_I'm pretty sure she has the hots for you."_

"_No she doesn't."_

"_God your dumb."_

"_How do you know?" _I asked.

"_Hello, the way she turns to you, playing with her hair, staring at you. You need to pay attention to a girl's body language that's how you know." He explained._

"Look out!" Sharon yelled.

"Oh crap." A zombie had already grabbed me making me drop the .357 back in the trunk I did my best to keep it from biting me. This zombie was disgusting it's entire rib cage was showing exposing it's lungs and heart, one of it's eye's was falling out I saw out of the corner of my eye Sharon fighting off other zombies having no trouble with her razor sharp machete easily slicing their heads off. I put all my might into this next punch; it connected stumbling it giving me enough time to reach for the gun. I placed the barrel it under its chin and pulled the trigger, the shot rang out my wrist jerked back hurting it a little, and my ears began ringing. The zombie's brain's splattered out of his skull I knew the .357 was powerful but holy shit it's body went limp falling to the ground, twitching. I then grabbed my ears to try and stop the insistent ringing, my eardrums almost popped I felt brain matter and blood rain down on me. My heart raced, the urge to fire again found me I raised my gun to fire again the bullet clipped one in the shoulder leaving a large hole in it.

"Damn" I took aim lining up the sights and fired got it right in between it's eyes it's brain shot out the back of it's head, dead before it hit the ground. The others turned their attention towards me.

"That's right, come to me." I said wickedly.

"_Now you're getting it."_ Drake yelled out. Taking aim I fired 2 more times one blowing off its face revealing parts of it's skull and the other hitting it's kneecap. I started laughing.

"Steve, hurry up!" Sharon ordered.

"Don't rush me!" I yelled back.

I placed the gun in the back of my jeans and ran through the crowd. Sharon spun her blade into it's sheathe, revved the bike I hopped on and wrapped my arms around her.

"Go!" I ordered we then took off. We proceeded further down the road.

"Did you have fun back there!" she asked.

I couldn't help but smile.

* * *

**I'll try to update in a week or two, and thanks for the reviews.**


	6. Tender Moments Part 1

_I was never one to express myself especially in these situations._

Karen kept at a constant speed, carefully examining the road.

Amanda was quietly resting in the back seat.

Karen was tense, _"No time to rest."_ She kept thinking. Just a few more blocks and they would arrive at her apartment complex.

She couldn't help but wonder if Stephen was okay. She shook her head; _"I can't think about that! I need to focus on one thing at a time."_ She noticed a Mustang coming from the opposite side of the road at high speed but she didn't pay much attention to it. _"Just another survivor." _She thought. A loud crash disrupted her train of thought; she immediately slammed on the brake causing Amanda to fall out of her seat hitting her head off the floor, which didn't help her headache at all.

She got up opened her mouth to scream at Karen when she saw the crash. A truck had collided into the Mustang. Karen looked around to see if They were around. "Stay here!" she ordered Amanda. Karen grabbed her axe, stepping out of the car to check if anyone was still alive.

She examined the Mustang first; it had been smashed from the passenger side. She backed away when she saw the person's mangled body, a young girl. She heard grunting coming from the driver, a man probably in his 40's.

"You okay?" she asked.

He looked at her, disoriented "I'm okay…" he answered.

He grunted in pain "…Wait no I'm not." His side and head were bleeding.

"Is she okay?" he asked.

"I'm sorry."

Karen could see sadness in the man's eyes. Amanda ran up to her "What's going on?" she asked. She spotted the girl's body, "Damn, she's fucked up!" she said out loud.

Karen smacked her in the head, "Think before you speak!"

"Sorry"

"Stay with him." She ordered Amanda. Karen went to check on the driver of the truck. The driver was hunched over on the steering wheel, "Sir, you okay?"

He didn't respond she reached to check his pulse. He jumped up trying to grab her luckily he had his seat belt on; she fell back onto the road. Her heart was beating like a drum. He was one of Them. Karen got up, dusted herself off and walked back to Amanda.

"The driver's infected." Karen told her.

They looked at the injured man, "Think you can move, Sir?" Karen asked.

"Roger" he muttered.

Karen was confused for a moment, "That's my name." He said.

"…And yeah. I think I can."

Both girls pulled on the car door, it flew open. Roger began to move, he looked at the dead girl. He grabbed the girl's necklace and stuffed it in his pocket then slowly stepped out of the car. Holding his side he managed to get out, the girls carried him to Karen's car.

Roger stopped, "Wait, Wait I left some medical supplies in the back seat."

"Medical supplies?" Amanda said.

"I'm a doctor. I always keep some with me."

"I'll go get them." Karen volunteered.

While Amanda helped Roger into the car, Karen ran back to the Mustang she spotted the bag, she grabbed it. A zombie found it's way towards her; she noticed it in time and turned to swing her axe at it. Unfortunately it grabbed the axe in mid-swing Karen was caught off-guard trying to fight it off, more and more appeared realizing she would be overrun if she stayed to fight. She kicked the zombie in the stomach and pushed it and ran for the car, leaving the axe behind.

She hopped into the car, stepped on the gas and left. Clipping a few zombies during the escape.

Roger continued to grunt in pain, "You sure you're okay?" she asked

"The wounds not life threatening, just need to stop the bleeding."

He looked at the bag, "Can you hand me some gauze?" he asked.

Amanda reached into the bag and pulled out a roll of it. Handing it to Roger, "Thanks" he said under his breath.

"Where are we going?" he asked.

"My apartment." Karen responded.

"Why?"

"So we can rest up before moving to the evacuation zone in the park."

Roger fell silent.

"Who was that girl in your car anyway?" Amanda asked.

He didn't respond immediately, "My daughter." He sadly anwsered.

Karen couldn't say anything all she could think of was "I'm sorry."

* * *

We stopped at a convenient store to pick up some supplies. Sharon parked the bike in front of the store.

"Alright, lets check it out." She said.

We walked into the store, weapons at the ready. The store had been ransacked, some blood and broken glass lay on the floor, most of the aliases were empty but the back of the store was intact.

"Let's find a bag or something to carry the supplies." I suggested.

"Way ahead of ya." She blurted out tossing me an empty duffle bag.

"Alright, fill it up." She ordered. I just shrugged my shoulders and agreed.

"_Let's see we need water and food, preferably non-perishable food would be good."_ I thought to myself.

I went along the aisles collecting the supplies. I didn't have much to collect though I only got 5 bottles of water, 5 bags of snacks, 3 candy bars, 2 cans of soda, and 4 canned goods. Placing them in my bag, it wasn't even full yet.

I looked at the items; _"We should be okay for a couple of days."_

I spotted Sharon, standing in an aisle looking at something. I walked up to her "Hey…" I said to her to get her attention. Sharon almost jumped out of her skin "Did you find anything?" she turned to me, red faced she exhaled and said, "No, I haven't." she placed something in her pocket but I didn't pay much attention to it.

"I think we got enough." I told her. We began walking back to the bike when something occurred to Sharon, "I need some cigarettes." She said to me.

"Seriously? Couldn't you have gotten some when we were in there?" I groaned.

"I…uh forgot."

I rolled my eyes

"What? They calm my nerves"

I scratched my head "…and you want me to get some, right?"

"Would you? Oh pretty please!"

She gave me the puppy dog look it's hard to say no to them."

"*Sigh* alright." I begrudgingly accepted.

"Sweet! I like Marlboro brand please."

"_Whatever they all kill you eventually."_ I thought. I set the duffle bag down next to her.

She leaned against the bike "Phew it's offily warm tonight, isn't it?"

I looked at the sky dark clouds began looming over us "Storms on the way."

She partially unzipped her leather suit exposing some cleavage I felt my nose bleed a little "You okay?" she asked.

I quickly wiped away the blood "Yeah"

"You act as if you've never seen breasts before? Hmm I figured since you and Helen dated for 6 years you would've already done the deed."

I gripped the locket in my hand, feeling a wave of sadness rush over me.

"I'm...I'm sorry, look I didn't mean anything by it. I mean it's cool your still a virgin I…uh...mean...um..."

"I know what you meant." I muttered and went back inside.

"Damnit Sharon!" Cursing herself for bring up Helen.

I stopped at the door _"Guess they keep cigarettes behind the counter."_

"_So she's a smoker huh? She just keeps getting better and better." _Drake said.

"_Uh-huh right…well, sorry to burst your bubble but I draw the line at smoking sooo it's not gonna happen. In fact it never was going to happen I don't even like her that way, I mean she's hot and all but it's her personally I can't stand."_

"_So you're not going through with it?" _Drake asked.

"_That's right."_

"_Whatever it's not my problem."_

I began to feel dizzy, I grabbed hold of a shelf to keep my balance my breathing became shallow to the point where I couldn't breath I felt like my head was about to explode, then nothing no pain, no sound, just silence all around me.

Drake stood up straight cracking his knuckles "Now it's my problem."

He hopped over the counter looking at the shelf above him. He spotted a row of cigarettes he grabbed 3 packs and stuffed them in his pocket, also grabbing a lighter. "Time to go." He said to himself. He began to hear a sloshing noise he noticed a zombie crawling towards him, he pulled out his gun ready to fire but he stopped.

"That's no fun." He placed it back in his jeans. He grabbed the cash register lifted it above his head and slammed it down on top of the crawler he picked it up again and slammed it down harder. The crawler didn't move Drake felt satisfied the cash register sprung open.

Drake spotted some cash inside "Don't mind if I do." stuffing his wallet with the money, about $31.10 He jumped back over the counter to exit the store.

"Alright, Sharon I found 3 packs of…" He stopped mid-sentence.

Witnessing someone holding Sharon at knifepoint, Drake instantly pulled out the .357 aiming it at the assailant.

"Don't even think about it, kid!" He yelled holding the blade closer to Sharon's throat "**Drop it!**" He ordered. Drake didn't budge lining up the sights. The man was an escaped convict still wearing his orange jumpsuit he was about 6'4, bald, with a large scar from the side of his head to his chin.

"You fuckin deaf! **Drop it!**" Drake didn't move.

He raised the machete closer to Sharon's neck cutting it a little "If you don't drop it, I'll slice her fucking neck open!"

Drake sat the gun down on the ground. "Kick it over!" the prisoner ordered. Drake complied he kicked it to the prisoner's feet. "Don't fucking move!" he order both Drake and Sharon. The convict placed the machete in it's sheathe (which he stole from Sharon) then he slowly bent down and picked up the gun, pointing the it towards Drake.

"You should really let her go." Drake calmly said.

"That's not gonna happen…" He began groping her breasts, typical rapist.

"…It's been a long time since I've felt a women, your tits are the best I've ever felt and believe me I've felt a lot."

He proceeded to lick her cheek "mmm tasty." He whispered. Sharon was grossed out beyond belief.

He looked at Drake, "Now why don't you just run along before I put a hole in your fuckin head."

Drake just folded his arms the prisoner fired a round, the bullet whizzed past Drake's head but he didn't flinch.

"Damn kid you've got some balls, the way you didn't even move or blink proves you have no fear."

The convict made eye contact with Drake, "Yep you definitely have the eyes of a killer, but I can't shake the feeling there's something different about you."

Drake rolled his eyes, "Can you just shut up you're giving me a headache." Drake finally said.

The prisoner got angry pushing the gun against Sharon's head, "Do you even care what happens to her!"

Drake looked at Sharon, "Not really." No care in his voice.

Sharon was shocked to hear that, the prisoner lifted his hand away from her mouth.

"You fucking bastard!" she yelled at Drake.

"…And to think I…I…" She paused afraid to say the next part.

"Okay I've had enough of this soap opera!" the prisoner blurted out raising the gun towards Drake ready to fire. Drake smiled "Pull the trigger already." He ordered the prisoner.

The convict smiled "Gladly!" Sharon closed her eyes.

He pulled the trigger expecting the gun to fire, ***click* **it went much to the convict's dismay. Drake knew he had him, getting up close and personal was way more fun then shooting from a distance. Drake sprinted towards the prisoner at almost lightening fast speed. The prisoner was too stunned to move, Sharon saw an opportunity she elbowed him in the gut, grabbed her machete out of the sheathe and threw it to Drake. Drake grabbed it in mid-air ready to slice through the prisoner; in a flash he had severed the prisoner's arm off causing him to release his grip on Sharon. The prisoner fell back as blood sprayed out of the wound, screaming in agony Sharon practically fell into Drake's arms, placing her head against his chest gripping his shirt not wanting to let go.

Both of them looking at the bleeding prisoner, "What a beautiful sight." Drake said out loud.

"Yes it is." Sharon agreed. He was surprised to hear her say that.

The prisoner still screaming looking at them in disbelief.

Sharon pushed Drake away. Drake walked towards the prisoner, pulling out the pocketknife he used to disembowel Mark.

Drake got on top of the prisoner, who was about to bleed out. He grabbed his neck looking into his eyes "No one touches her, she's mine!" he yelled. Sharon overheard him; her eyes went wide. Drake looked at Sharon, "You might want to look away." He ordered she obeyed. He proceeded to carve out the prisoner's eyes out. Every time his victim screamed Drake would start shaking not from fear but from excitement it was like music to his ears, about mid-way through the prisoner went limp he stopped screaming and moving altogether.

Drake's excitement was replaced with disappointment, "I thought you would last longer."

Blood still gushing out of the lifeless body, "Oh well…" He pulled out the prisoner's eyes dropping them next to him, "I never leave unfinished business." He said out loud.

He stood up, putting the pocketknife away. Looking at the severed arm of the convict still holding the empty gun, Sharon noticed it and went to retrieve it. Prying it from its cold dead fingers she handed it to Drake, "I believe this is yours." She said. He took it from her hands opened the gun, emptied the shells and loaded another 6 rounds into it. Placing it back in his jeans they stood there in silence looking at each other.

Sharon's relief expression turned into anger.

Drake knew something was up, "What?" he asked.

"Apparently I mean nothing to you." she started.

"Oh boy, here we go." He moaned.

"I may not mean anything to you but you mean something to me!" She snapped.

A zombie grabbed her shoulder, ready to bite it she roundhouse kicked it, the force of the kick broke its neck. "Can't you see we're talking here!" she yelled.

Drake chuckled, "You really thought I'd let that guy take you away, you're dumber then I thought."

She threw a punch at him but he dodged it, wrapping his hand around her neck "Ya know I can kill you with a flick of my wrist." He whispered.

"Then do it if you have the balls!"

He stared at her; he could tell she wasn't afraid. He let her go, "I just can't do that." He murmured.

She pulled her arm away from him, "Why the hell not?"

Drake pointed to a group of Them closing in.

He hopped on the bike starting it up he looked at her, "You comin?" he asked. She nodded, picking up the duffle bag Drake handed the machete back to her placing it back in it's sheathe. She wrapped her arms around him. He revved the bike and sped out of there.

Continuing further down the road by now the sun had disappeared behind the dark clouds, the sky was pitch black.

"Just a couple more blocks and we'll be there." Sharon said.

Drake nodded indicating that he heard her.

"Hey listen, can we stop for a minute?"

Drake obeyed slowing the bike to a stop. Sharon immediately pulled the keys out of the ignition and hopped off the motorcycle. She walked toward a bench. "What was that for?" he asked. She stopped in her tracks turned towards Drake and said, "I need a smoke."

Drake sighed then followed her. She sat down on the bench setting the duffle bag down next to her. Drake removed a pack from his pocket, opening it up taking 2 cigarettes out. Drake sat down with her placing the cigarette in his mouth and handing her the other one.

Reaching into his back pocket for the lighter. "I didn't know you smoked." She said curiously.

"There are a lot of things you don't know about me." He said lighting his cigarette, taking a big puff out of it and blowing out the smoke. He handed her the lighter

He took another puff savoring the flavor, "God this feels great." He said listening to the sound of gunfire in the distance.

"I'm still mad at you." She finally said.

Drake sat back on the bench and looked at her "You know you're cute when you're angry."

She scolded him. Drake ignored it.

Puffing out smoke she said, "You never did answer my question. Why didn't you just kill me?"

Drake sighed, "There's something inside me that won't let me."

Sharon just listened.

"You intrigue me, I mean you've changed a lot since we were kids."

"How so?" she asked.

"You used to be shy like me but look at you now, you speak your mind never afraid of the consequences…and let's not forget your smokin hot body."

She turned away letting her hair hide her smile, "But…" he began she looked back at him "Did you ever consider that maybe I lied about not caring?" Drake asked. Sharon didn't answer.

"You girls always get angry before you know the whole truth."

As Drake said that he felt a droplet of water land on him. Drake looked up, "Rain." He murmured.

It began thundering soon after it started to downpour. Feeling the rain against his face, **cold** almost like his heart it was a rather soothing feeling for him.

Sharon spoke in a scared tone "Back when that guy was holding me hostage. "Did you…" She paused for a moment "D-did you mean w-what you said…about me being your girl?" Drake made eye contact with her, his eyes made her uneasy. Drake flicked his cigarette away, "Time to go."

He sat up and walked towards the bike. Sharon shot out of her seat, "Did you mean it!" she yelled out. Once again he looked at her and sighed. She walked up to him "I need an answer." She demanded.

Drake kept silent, "*sigh* I thought so." She muttered. Drake pulled her in for a kiss. Sharon was shocked but she didn't fight it, going limp in his arms. She was surprised how gentle he was, delicately caressing her body. He pulled her in closer, thrusting his tongue in her mouth.

They slowly pulled away, "Does that answer your question?" he asked with a devilish grin. A smile appeared on Sharon's face she hugged him. Their bodies keeping each other warm in the cold rain.

"You have no idea how long I've been waiting for that." She said, her face red with excitement.

"I've never seen you like this." She continued.

"Does it make you nervous?" he asked.

"Well…I'm not used to making out in the rain but no. I like you this way."

"Maybe we could go somewhere a little more private." Drake whispered in her ear placing his hands firmly on her butt. She giggled but then stopped herself.

Sharon got the idea, readying up the bike to leave immediately. Drake picked up the duffle bag. _"I can't believe she fell for that crap."_ he thought to himself.

Sharon beckoned him to hurry up. He smiled to himself, _"This is going to be easier then I thought."_

To be continued…


	7. Tender Moments Part 2

...Everyone sat quietly on the bus, Bailey up front driving, Richard and Lisa sat together, Amy in her little corner in the back, and Robert laid in his seat in the middle of the bus.

The sound of rain on the roof echoed throughout the bus. Outside; cars impatiently blaring their horns hoping the line would move faster.

No one could contact their loved ones because the phone lines are jammed up with emergencies. All you could do is hope they're still alive.

"How long have we been here?" Robert finally spoke out.

Lisa had fallen asleep on Richard's shoulder

He carefully moved his arm so he could look at his watch and not wake her "3 Hours" he responded.

Robert fell back into his seat and moaned.

"Has the line moved at all?" Amy yelled from the back.

"Little by little." Bailey answered.

Amy sighed knowing there was nothing they could do for the time being.

Bailey had thought he'd seen everything in Vietnam but this was new to him. The dead coming to life to feast on the living. It had to be some kind of nightmare but no matter how hard anyone tried to look at it, this was really happening and to think he laughed when he first saw Night Of The Living Dead.

_"Just be patent and you'll be rescued...but then what? They're everywhere we can't escape Them. It's only a matter of time before They get us…we…No-No-No-No DO NOT PANIC. If we panic They win and I won't let those bastards win."_ He thought.

* * *

They finally made it to Sharon's house. It was dark no one seemed to be in it. She parked the bike in front of her house. Taking the keys from the ignition, they walked up to her door rain still coming down the roar of thunder could be heard in the distance. Sharon turned at the door and kissed Drake wrapping her arms over his neck. He knew what she wanted he knew she couldn't resist the urge any longer, all that was left was to get her into bed and have the time of their lives. She went to open the door, the knob turned but she couldn't push open the door.

"The hell!" she exclaimed. She pushed at it again, no luck.

Drake tried to open it, no luck either.

"Must be blocked." He suggested.

"Shit…well that ruined the mood." Sharon mumbled.

They stood there in the rain thinking of what to do next. Drake looked at her intently, she noticed his gaze.

"What?" she asked.

"Is it cold out?" he asked looking at her chest. She looked down and saw her nipples were popping through her suit, embarrassed she quickly covered herself. Drake chuckled, "I don't see why you should be embarrassed about that."

"_I'm going to see them soon anyway."_ He thought to himself.

A light came on in the house both of them noticed it they could see shadows inside, somewhere inside came a voice.

"This is our hiding place, **go away**!" the voice was male.

"Go away? Just let us in!" Sharon begged.

Drake began banging on the door, "Let us in." he said in a calm tone. Arguing could be heard inside.

The voice came back, "Who are you two?" he asked.

"I'm Sharon and he's Stephen we just need a place to stay until the rain stops." She answered him.

Drake tried to put on a friendly face but it proved to be difficult.

"I'm sorry, we can't allow anyone in…"

Drake rolled his eyes, "It figures." he said.

"Get outta here before you lead Them here."

"You've got to be kidding me." Sharon mumbled under her breath.

"Let us in, this **is** my fucking house!" she yelled.

More arguing could be heard inside, "Aw great you've lead Them here!"

Both Drake and Sharon spotted the approaching horde, "They never give up!" Sharon exclaimed.

More talking inside, "Christ all they ever do in there is talk in there." She said to Drake.

"Alright, alright I'll make you a deal: you kill all of those freaks out there and we'll let you in. Deal?"

Sharon looked at Drake, he just shrugged his shoulders seeing no other alternative, "Deal!" they said in unison. Someone threw down a pipe from a window Drake caught it, "You might need this."

"Good luck" the voice said.

Sharon put her wet hair into a ponytail and pulled out her blade. Drake put his hood up and walked under a streetlight. Sharon walked up beside him, "I count at least 17 of Them." He told her.

"Rough estimate?" she asked.

"No, there **is** 17." As the group drew closer they raised their weapons.

"Ready for this?" She asked.

Drake nodded.

They could see figures in the windows, watching.

The first zombie lunged at them, "I got this!" Sharon volunteered. Easily slicing it's head off.

Drake smiled, "My turn!" He took hold of the pipe and swung it like a bat, cracking its skull, the body fell.

They began to massacre the horde. The rain made it difficult to move in heavy clothing but this didn't bother them, the more challenging the better. Sharon gracefully moving from target to target, with each zombie she killed made Drake want her even more. He swung at their heads like baseballs the pipe began to bend he stopped swinging and pulled out the .357 firing at Them one by one the zombies fell; blood gushing from their wounds. Both Drake and Sharon were having fun they stood back to back examining the remaining few standing in front of them. "Only 3 left." Sharon yelled out.

"I got 7!" she boasted.

"6" Drake said.

"Looks like I'll be the winner." She said so sure of herself but he wasn't going to let that happen, he wasn't going to let her win. He placed the gun back in his jeans and took hold of the pipe.

He charged at Them, jumped and slammed the pipe into one of their craniums. Lodging the pipe inside it, unarmed he turned to his bare hands. He grabbed another zombie with all his might, lifted it up off its feet and brought its body down onto his knee snapping its spine in half.

Sharon was impressed, "Didn't know you could do that."

She raised her machete ready to throw it at Drake. He didn't seem worried she threw it straight at him, he leaned to the left the machete missed him and instead hit a zombie in it's face the blade managed to pierce it's skull it fell back dead.

"Tie!" Sharon yelled out.

Drake smiled "You have some nice reflexes, can't wait to put them to work."

Sharon started laughing.

"Dropped your guard." He quietly said. He pulled out his gun again and fired in Sharon's direction. As he fired thunder roared covering the sound of the gun, which is why Sharon didn't notice it. The bullet zipped past her head and into the cranium of another zombie behind her ready to sink it's teeth into her neck. She witnessed the zombie's body go limp then stared at Drake.

"You missed one." He said reloading the gun.

The score was now: 9 for Drake and 8 for Sharon.

"Looks like I win." He said triumphant.

He turned and pulled the machete out of its latest kill. They walked up to each other, the rain washing away the blood off the blade. He placed the it into its sheathe. Sharon looked at him with what looked like tears in her eyes. Drake wiped some blood off her face then cusped her cheek in his hand.

"Why are you crying?" He asked.

She wiped away the tears, "I'm just…so happy being with you." She answered.

"*achoo!*" She sneezed, it was understandable standing in the cold rain tends to do that.

"I think we should go inside now." She suggested. Drake nodded in agreement.

They knocked on the door, "It's clear!" they told whoever was in the house.

For a minute there was no response, "He better not squander our deal." She said out loud.

"Well if he does I'll kill him." he whispered to her.

She held his hand "I second that." She said back.

Inside they could hear the occupants moving stuff away from the door. "Deals a deal." The man said. The door opened, both stepped inside instantly they felt a wave of heat enveloped them. The man shut the door and began to rebuild the barricade. 3 Figures stood before them: a green haired woman, a young boy, and an older man roughly in his late 30's all staring at the two new survivors. Drake could understand why, his and Sharon's clothes were tattered and soaked in blood and rain.

The women stepped forward, "Sorry for not letting you two in earlier but you know how it is nowadays."

"Uh-huh riiiight." Drake muttered.

"I'm Carol and this is my son Max."

She looked at Max, "Say hi honey." She asked him.

Max was a shy kid he hid behind Carol, "um…uh hi." He said quietly.

"Awww he's sooo cute!" Sharon squealed. Max's face went red.

Drake coughed, "*ahem*"

"And you've already met my husband Gary." They turned to the man barricading the door.

"Sort of" Sharon said.

Carol turned to the older man next to her, "This is Patrick we ran into him on our way here." Patrick nodded but didn't say anything.

"I'm Sharon and this is…" she started.

"Stephen" Drake interrupted.

"Are you two a couple?" Carol asked.

They turned to each other, "You could say that." Sharon said.

"Sorry we couldn't clean up. As you can see we're a little worse for wear." Sharon apologized.

"Don't worry about it." Carol reassured her.

Gary finished the barricade, "Alright, it's back up we'll be safe for awhile."

Carol was relieved, "That's good." She said.

Gary went over to the couch and sat down to relax. Carol and Max joined him.

"Those were some pretty slick moves you two pulled off back there." Patrick commented.

"Thanks" Sharon said back.

Sharon sneezed again, "Aw…damn." She mumbled.

"Got a cold?" Carol asked.

"It's nothing."

"Well…" Sharon began.

"…I think I'm going to turn in for the night." Sharon started walking upstairs.

"Steve, you comin?" she asked. He nodded and followed her when they vanished from sight, Patrick walked over to the others.

"Are we sure about them?" Patrick began.

"What are you talking about?" Coral asked him.

"I don't know if we can trust them."

"They're just kids!" Carol argued.

You saw what they're capable of. They took on 17 of those things with only a machete, an iron pipe and a gun."

"They're survivors fighting for their lives just like everyone else in this mess."

"I'm just saying they had way too much fun killing Them; they can't be right in the head. What if they snap and kill us all?"

"Stop it your scaring Max!" Carol snapped.

Patrick stopped, "Your right, I'm sorry."

"Anyway, Sharon seems nice." Carol commented.

"Yeah but her boyfriend, there's something off about him. You can see it in his eyes its almost like he can see right through you."

"Maybe it's because your one dimensional." Gary added.

"Your suspicions are understandable, Patrick but there's nothing we can do except let them rest." He continued.

Gary patted Max on the head, "We'll be okay, I promise."

Patrick walked up to a window and stared out it, thinking.

Drake unzipped his hoodie and hung it to dry.

"So what do you think of those 4 downstairs." She asked.

"They seem alright Patrick doesn't trust us, Carol's okay, Max is okay too but I'm not a big fan of kids, Gary's just looking out for his family."

"Yeah…" Sharon began to undress "…I guess you're right." Slipping out of her outfit and hanging it up in her closet. She took her hair out of the ponytail; Drake grabbed a towel and handed it to Sharon, she began humming to herself while drying her hair. Drake took off his shoes and socks he also removed the locket and set it on the dresser.

"_Sorry Stephen but this'll get in the way."_

Drake then gazed at Sharon's body; she only wore a black bra and panties. He slowly walked up behind her, gently placing his hands on her hips his body brushing up against hers. He felt her shiver, "We're alone now." He said softly. She turned to him and lightly kissed his lips.

"Are we really going to do this?" she asked innocently.

"Only if you want to." He answered.

"I-I do…want to."

She kissed him more passionately then before.

"To tell you the truth I've…" she moaned softly "…I've had a crush on you since the 2nd grade."

They stopped; Sharon locked the door so no one would interrupt them. She then beckoned him to get her.

They went at it hot and heavy, their tongues dancing with each other she tasted of cigarettes but he didn't care. He gently pushed her against the wall still kissing her; he grabbed her thighs and lifted her up. She in turn wrapped her legs around his waist he carried her towards her bed. Sharon pulled on his neck causing him to fall on the bed, she giggled then rolled him over so she could be on top. He sat up and continued to kiss her the sound of rain could be heard it was very soothing for the mood. Sharon moved her hands down his neck, and over his shirt. She reached the bottom, and began to tug it up. Drake sat up allowing her to take off his shirt. She tossed it aside he laid back her eyes were fixated on his body.

"I've never seen your body before, I had no idea you were so skinny." She said.

"What's wrong with it?" He asked.

"Nothing, I just like it." she said softly rubbing his chest. "You have the body of a cute anime boy. Kind of like Tamaki from Ouran Host Club."

Drake took off his glasses; Sharon took them and put them back on. "You look cuter with those on." She said.

Something occurred to Sharon, "Keep that pose." She asked.

She sat up and grabbed her cell phone off the dresser.

"Now hold still." She said aiming the phone at me.

Drake looked at her provocatively.

Her face went red, "When did you get so hot?" she asked snapping a picture.

She looked at it, "This is definitely going to be my screensaver." She said to herself.

She placed it back on the dresser and walked back towards him.

She remembered something else "I almost forgot."

She opened her closet back up and pulled something out of her suit pocket, hiding it behind her.

Her face still red, she sat on his lap.

"I want this to be special." She stated. Drake looked at her.

She revealed what she was hiding behind her back. It was a condom.

"Got that from the store we were at?" he asked already knowing the answer.

"Yeah." She said.

"I love you." She said softly.

Drake stared into her eyes and kissed her to avoid saying it back.

She ran her hand over his crotch, "Get ready to have your world rocked." She was excited.

Drake just smiled. _"This really is easy."_ He thought to himself.

* * *

**I'd like to know your thoughts on how the story is going so far...**


	8. Just a Nightmare

**Lets dive into the mind of Stephen Harrison.**

* * *

_Nightmares, a constant reminder that we are not in control. _

It was a great day, the sun was shining bright, and the smell of freshly cut grass filled the air. Walking through the park I could see children playing with their parents, something I was never able to do. I'm in a good mood because my girlfriend had just got back from her trip to Japan.

I heard someone call to me, "Stephen! Stephen!" I looked to where the voice came from; it was Helen.

As I spotted her I lit up, she wore her long silver hair in a ponytail, a black and purple striped long sleeve shirt, black skater shoes, a studded bracelet on her left wrist, and a plain black skirt.

"You're late mister." She said. I chuckled; she punched my arm.

We hugged each other "I missed you." I whispered staring into her hazel eyes. I lightly kissed her lips they tasted of cherry lip balm, not surprising since cherry is her favorite flavor.

She smiled "I missed you too."

Helen had gone on a vacation to Japan for 2 weeks with her parents. For 2 weeks we talked over the phone. I held her closer I had missed her sweet embrace.

"What do you want to do?" I asked her.

She thought for a minute, "I just want to take a stroll around the park."

I looked at her, puzzled. "That's it?"

"Yeah…as long as it's with you."

I put on a shy smile, she squealed like a schoolgirl. "You're just adorable when you do that." She beamed. We held each other's hand as we walked around the park. She began to talk about her trip to Japan. She told me about her visit to an anime convention and her trip to the Ginza neighborhood with a friend she met there; Rei Miya-something or other, orange hair apparently she was really nice. Even describing what Tokyo looked like at night. Time had flown by fast it was already sundown.

We laid in the grass gazing up at the sky. Helen curled up next to me, "Beautiful isn't it?" I asked.

"Yeah" she responded. We both sat up, "I'm lucky to be with you." I told her.

"Ai shi teru" she said.

"What?"

"It means 'I love you' in Japanese." She explained.

"Oh."

I leaned towards her for another kiss. I fell forward hitting my face off the ground.

"Owww." I moaned.

I looked up darkness was all around me I quickly stood up. "Helen?" I called.

No answer. I franticly looked around everything had vanished the trees, the people, nothing but a dark, empty plain.

"Helen!" I kept yelling until my throat hurt, still no answer.

I spotted a trail of blood leading off in the distance; this was something straight out of Silent Hill. I know it goes against my better judgment but what other choice did I have?

I followed the trail I could feel my heart beat faster with each step I took. Up ahead I spotted a table with a sheet over it.

"Stephen" I heard. I froze in my tracks.

"Helen?" I whispered. I looked around she wasn't in sight, I continued towards the table. "Come closer," she said. As I did a flash blinded me then I heard a women cry out in pain. Another flash appeared this time I caught a glimpse of a naked women in pain. The flashes stopped after that.

"Ooookay what-the-hell was that?" I said trying to remember what I was doing.

"Oh yeah, the table."

I examined it. It was an operating table with the sheet draped over a body. I hovered my hand over it hesitating for a moment.

"Go on, don't be shy." Her voice whispered in my ear. I took a deep breath and quickly removed it. I was surprised to find…nothing.

"Someone's trying to toy with me…or maybe…" I let go of the sheet "…maybe you're right behind me!" I quickly turned around to face my tormentor.

But no one was there. "Am I losing it?" I asked myself. I felt a chill roll over me.

"Stephen" she said softly. I opened my eyes and there was Helen standing in front of me staring at me with her piercing hazel eyes. I admit I jumped at first.

She reassured me, "No need to be afraid."

"B-But you're dead you can't be real."

"Well…I'm right here aren't I?"

She wrapped her arms around me. "See I'm real."

I felt relieved…but…

I noticed something was off…she was cold as ice I suddenly felt a sharp pain in my back. Her fingers felt like knives digging into my back I screamed out in pain. I couldn't fight her off like all my strength had left me.

"How could you do this to me!" she screamed. I looked at her in horror as she smiled reveling her razor sharp teeth; blood started oozing out her eyes making it look like she was crying.

"It's your fault!" she continued to screamed.

By now she was a shadow of her former self, "How could you betray me!"

I had no idea what she meant. She sunk her teeth into my neck I kept on screaming in agony…

I suddenly awoke in a cold sweat. Breathing heavily and my heart racing I tried to stop myself from shaking. I regained my composure bit by bit I could hear rain on the roof it helped a little. I exhaled, laughing at myself. _"Just a nightmare." _I told myself looking around the room I spotted a digit clock; it read 3:50 A.M.

"_Where am I?"_

Then I got the feeling that something…very, very wrong had happened in the room. This was most likely a case of "what the fuck did I do last night?"

"Stephen?" I heard someone say softly.

Out of the corner of my eye I saw a figure sitting next to me. I instantly remembered Helen's deformed figure I jumped out of the bed only to smack my face against the floor I didn't care if it hurt as long as I got away I'd be fine. I crawled as fast as I could across the room almost smashing my head against the wall. I reached behind my back to pull out my gun only to realize it wasn't there and that I was only wearing my boxers (No wonder it felt chilly) the figure got out of bed and came closer, my heart beat like a drum in a death metal song.

Having enough, the figure pounced on me "Steve? Steve!" it kept saying while shaking me finally it slapped me across the face, for a moment I was stunned the pain surged through my face fully waking me up. I found myself staring up at a worried Sharon.

"You okay, baby?" she asked softly.

"_Did she just say that?"_ I thought

"_Did I enter the twilight zone when I was asleep?"_

"Uhhh…Y-yeah" I finally said.

"*Whew* scared me for a second." Sharon let out.

"Was it a nightmare? You're as pale as a ghost." She asked.

I nodded my head.

"When I touched your arm, you almost jumped out of your skin I mean…" She trailed off.

I found myself staring down at her breasts neatly tucked into her bra. My face was still in pain I didn't notice I was blushing she noticed my staring. "Pervert." She said.

My heart skipped a beat, "No-No-No it's nothing like that I swear!" I begged fearful that she'd pound my face in. One time in school a boy gazed at her breasts and she beat the living daylights out of him, so I figured I'd suffer the same fate.

She wrapped her arms around me and pulled me in closer pressing my head against her soft, squishy breasts.

"It's okay." She whispered. I then had the sudden urge to squeeze them.

"_What the…am I fucking insane?"_

"You're with me now." She said before kissing me. I felt light-headed as if all the blood in my head had rushed to a certain area.

*Knock knock* we turned to the door.

"Everything alright in there?" a voice asked.

Sharon sat up, "Yeah we're fine. He just had a bad dream."

"Alright then, play nice you two." It said before disappearing.

We sat there for a minute then Sharon said, "Figured someone would come by to check on us..."

I looked at her she shrugged her shoulders; "…I mean what would a beautiful girl like me do with a cute boy in a dark room?"

Upon hearing this I felt a sensation envelop me, _"Oh good god…not now!"_ I thought but I couldn't help it staring at her tan, slender body.

She inhaled sharply; with a devilish smile she looked at me. "Ready for round 2, are we?" She asked.

"_Wait…round 2!" _Once again she kissed me hot and heavy biting my lip in the process.

"Make me yours again." She begged in between kisses. Slowly moving down to my neck and sucked on it like a vampire, it felt weird but at the same time great…until I saw a familiar face.

Helen sat on the edge of the bed glaring at me, the disappointment on her face turned to the demonic smile I was already too familiar with, blood oozing from her eyes and mouth.

"Why?" she kept whispering.

I began to shake, Sharon looked back up at me "Are you sure you're okay?" she asked.

Helen appeared hovering over me her once perfect silver hair now coated in blood, she smiled "Go ahead and answer so she can go back to banging your fucking brains out."

Helen had vanished, "Y-yeah it's j-just that goddamn nightmare, *sigh* I'm so fucking pathetic."

"You're not pathetic you're just scared. Everyone has had a nightmare where it scares the living shit outta of us."

"Uh-huh" I muttered.

"And with the zombie apocalypse going on you can expect a lot of people waking up and screaming. You would have to be crazy not to be scared."

I chuckled looking up at the window the rain beginning to die down.

I took a deep breath, "Yeah…I guess you're right I mean if…" I looked back at her; to my horror Sharon's beautiful complexion had deteriorated, her skin turned gray, drooling blood, the hungry look in her eyes, she was one of Them! She lunged forward teeth at the ready; I grabbed her shoulders desperately trying to keep her away. I placed my left foot up against her and pushed her away.

"Owww...damnit" I heard her moan.

"_Since when could they talk?" _I thought to myself

"The fuck was that for!" she yelled.

She took a deep breath then said, "Fine…Fine I get it now…"

She paused for a moment "…you're still not over her, are you?"

Well she got it half right.

"You didn't seem that way last night." She added.

She turned to her dresser pulling out her camouflage cargo pants, putting them on. "If you need me I'll be in the kitchen drinking," she said taking my hoodie, putting it on

At the door she pointed at me, "Get your shit together." She said before slamming the door.

I sat there in the dark for 10 minutes, alone no one else around.

"Why is this happening?" I asked myself

"Maybe it's because you're insane." Drake said.

Strange thing is it didn't come from my head rather next to me. I looked to my right and saw myself sitting next to me. Something inside me wanted me to scream out but he stopped me.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you." Drake said.

"Oh wait…I am you." He said laughing.

"How the…Wha…?"

"How am I here? I'm a figment of your imagination."

Drake turned to me, "Think of me as your twin."

He wasn't exactly my twin other than my body, face, and glasses. He had two piecing on his bottom lip, red eyes, black eye liner, an emo-ish hairstyle, and sharp black fingernails.

"You might want to keep a grip on realty or else **he** will take over and trust me…" He stood up stretching his arms.

"…You don't want that"

"Why not?" I asked.

He stood up walked over to the dresser and took a cigarette from an almost empty pack, placed it in his mouth, struck his fingers together and a flame appeared.

"Well…" He began "**He's** like me only a lot more violent."

"How's that any different?"

"When **he** takes over…**he** has no emotions, no morals, and doesn't care for human life rather he'll kill anyone who's in his way regardless if they are friend or foe. He's an unstoppable killing machine. Whereas I have self-control."

Drake inhaled the smoke enjoying the taste, "Y'know you should really try this."

I shook my head "No, I'm good."

He shrugged his shoulders "Your loss."

I stood up to put my pants and shirt on, "So why are you here?" I asked.

"What I can't just drop by and say hello?" he chuckled.

"Nope you could've done that in my head."

Drake spotted Sharon's cell phone on the dresser; he picked it up and flipped it open then laughed.

"What?" I asked.

He showed me a picture, "Look how happy you are."

I swiped the phone from him, I tried to speak but I couldn't find the words for what I saw. A picture of me…err…Drake posing with no shirt on staring at the phone with a sheepish smile.

"That was taken before Sharon and I fornicated…" Drake added.

I calmly put the phone back on the dresser. Then I punched Drake in the jaw.

"What the fuck were you thinking? You fucking douchebag!" I yelled at him.

Drake stood there for a moment then he smiled, cigarette still in his mouth. "I was thinking that I wanted to get laid." he told me with smirk.

I went in for another swing; Drake gracefully moved out of the way grabbing a hold of my arm and twisting it behind my back. "You really need to work on that." He whispered into my ear.

"Yeah so what if I robbed you of your first time. You're still a virgin on the inside."

"…And I must say it felt so fucking great although it didn't really last long." He let go of my arm I had calmed down a little.

"You almost broke it." I told him.

"Keyword: Almost" he said back.

I sighed, "Aren't you supposed to be helping me out?"

"Nope, that's Roy's job."

"Who?" I asked.

"Oh…uh…he's kind of the good guy of the group. Y'know helps you out and shit. He's kind of fruity." he told me.

"I'm just here to cut loose and have fun."

"You're joking right?" I asked nervously.

"Do I look like I'm joking?"

Drake shook his head, "Anyway…if you have a problem go cry to him."

"Fan-fucking-tastic how the hell could this possibly get any worse!" I quickly covered my mouth unable to take back what I had said. Under any circumstances: you **do not** say "how could this get any worse." Chances are it **does** get worse.

"We've got company!" Someone yelled out.

"Congratulations, you jinxed us."

* * *

**Stephen can't catch a break, can he? **


	9. True Love

_It's both a blessing and a curse._

Sharon slammed the door, annoyed at Stephen _"What the hell is his problem?"_ she thought holding her stomach still hurting from Stephen's kick. The house was dark, but Sharon knew her way around. The sound of rain began to die down as she headed for the kitchen carefully working her way downstairs.

She stopped halfway looking back she felt giddy shaking from excitement placing her hand over her mouth to avoid bursting out laughing.

"I can't believe we did it." she said excitedly. Her body trembling remembering their night together.

"Finally after waiting all those years..." she began giggling silently.

Regaining her composure she continued down the stairs she noticed the kitchen light was on. She stood at the doorway letting her eyes adjust to the light.

"Oh hi there." a voice said. Sharon saw it was Carol.

Sharon jumped a little "Oh...hello."

"Sorry if I startled you." Carol apologized.

"No no it's fine."

Sharon went straight for the fridge grabbing a bottle of Jack Daniel's and a glass. She then took a seat at the table, poured herself a glass and took a sip.

"Ahhh that's just great." She said feeling the alcohol burn on the way down.

"Want some?" she offered.

Carol shook her head, "No thanks I'm good."

Sharon shrugged her shoulders, "Suit yourself."

"How old are you?" Carol asked.

"17." Sharon answered.

"You?"

"26."

"Y,know you shouldn't be drinking that."

Sharon sighed, "You sound like my Dad."

"I'm just saying it leads to bad things." Carol argued.

"It's exactly how I was born. Mom and Dad got drunk one night, next thing y'know Mom's pregnant. That's not to say they didn't love me, in fact they both loved me and my brother dearly."

"Oh you have a brother?" Carol asked.

"Yeah, his name's Jesse." Sharon replied.

"How old is he?" she asked.

Sharon paused for moment, "He would be 20 this year."

"Would be?" Carol wondered.

Sharon's hand began to tremble "I...I'd rather not talk about it. Please."

"Um...so where are your parents?" Carol asked trying to change the subject.

"Mom died some years ago. Dad works with City Council, y'know Aaron Roberts, Council President."

"Yeah I've seen him on TV."

"Tragic when I heard on the radio that his wife died of a sudden illness."

Sharon snickered, "Sudden illness yeah right."

Carol raised her eyebrow, "What do you mean?"

Sharon took another sip from her glass, "That's something I don't want to talk about with a stranger."

"*sigh* Sorry if I'm being rude." Sharon apologized.

"It's alright. I realize some topics are off-limits."

"Anyway I don't know where he is, maybe at the park organizing the evacuation." Sharon told her.

"Ah okay."

Sharon sat back in her chair, daydreaming.

"Something wrong?" Carol asked.

"Did you...knock on our door awhile ago?" Sharon asked.

"Uh...yeah we heard something fell and I went to check on you guys."

"Did you and Stephen get into a fight?" she asked.

"No no nothing like that. He just had a nightmare about Hel...Them...the zombies I mean."

"Not surprising seeing as everything is falling apart."

"It's all just part..." Carol started.

Sharon interrupted "You're not going to get biblical, are you?"

Carol laughed, "No way. I doubt God had anything like this planed."

"This is all probably some government experiment gone wrong. Like in most movies" she continued.

"Could be but this isn't a movie."

They sat there in silence for awhile.

"Sooo...How long have you and Stephen been dating?" Carol asked trying to strike up a conversation.

"Why? Planing on stealing him?"

Carol chuckled, "No thanks..." she held up her hand showing her wedding ring. "...Already happily married."

Sharon scratched her head, "We started dating...yesterday morning."

"Young love." Carol added.

Sharon blushed, "We've known each other since we were 3 years old."

"Truth is I developed a crush on him in the 2nd grade." she continued.

"I could tell that you love him just by the way you looked at him." Carol said.

"Sometimes he's all I think about."

"Does he feel the same way?" Carol asked.

Sharon looked at her, "I'm a hundred percent sure he loves me too. I mean we'd always figured that we both liked each other but certain things kept getting in the way." Sharon bit herself in frustration.

"Well you two make quite the zombie killing team." Carol said.

"They sure do." said a voice. They both looked to where it came from.

"Hi honey." Carol happily said. Gary walked in holding a Mossberg 500 stockless tactical shotgun

"How have you been?" Sharon asked.

"Fine, thanks for asking." he answered.

"Max in bed?" Carol asked.

Max stepped into the kitchen and hugged Carol.

"The little man wanted you to tell him a bedtime story before he goes to sleep." Gary told her.

"Who's my little guy?" she asked in a cute voice.

Max giggled, "Me."

She stood up with him in her arms, "That's right" she joyfully said.

"Don't worry I'll take it from here. Now what story do you want to hear?" she asked him.

"Big Red Barn!"

Carol and Gary laughed.

She took him to his room.

"Big Red Barn...haven't heard that one in awhile." Sharon said out load.

Gary smiled "Yeah, we told him that when he was 2 years old ever since then he can't get enough of it."

"How old is Max?" she asked Gary.

"5, his birthday's next week." he answered.

"I'm going to make sure he has the best birthday ever."

Sharon took another sip, "I hope he does."

* * *

"Fan-fucking-tastic how the hell could this possibly get any worse!" I quickly covered my mouth unable to take back what I had said. Under any circumstances: you **do not** say "how could this get any worse." Chances are it **does** get worse.

"We've got company!" Patrick yelled.

"Congratulations, you jinxed us." Drake told me.

My heart began to race, I looked back at Drake but he disappeared. I grabbed my gun and ran out the door dashing down the stairs I could hear gunfire followed by the cries of Them. I found Sharon, Patrick and Gary fending Them off. The zombies had already surrounded the house, "_How do they work that fast?_" I wondered. One of the front windows had been breached I ran up to one of Them halfway inside and shoved my gun in it's face and pulled the trigger the round tore through it's skull sending its body back outside. The other survivors turned their attention towards me.

"About time." Patrick said yanking his pipe out of a zombie's head.

Sharon ran over to me, kissed me on the cheek "Nice of you to join us." she said.

"Yeah...help me with this." I ordered. We both picked up a coffee table and erected a new barricade.

Sharon tugged on my arm "Help these guys I'll check on Carol and Max!"

"Okay." Sharon take off to check on them.

More of the undead broke through, _"Damn, only got 5 bullets left! Wish I still had my crowbar"_

"_But you don't." _Drake replied.

"Hey!" Gary yelled out. He tossed me a 9mm Beretta I caught it, without hesitation turned it onto the undead. Gary turned his attention back to the horde pulling the trigger sending Them flying with his Mossberg. Patrick slammed his pipe into Them each time their skulls cracked open spraying blood everywhere.

"Alright keep it up!" Gary encouraged pumping another round into the chamber.

* * *

"Ahhh get the fuck off me!" Sharon yelled trying to push the zombie off her. It pinned one of her arm down unable to use it. It's jaw wide open, drooling ready to eat it's victim, using her other arm she pushed against it's chest keeping it at bay. A blade pieced through it's neck severing the spinal cord Sharon kicked it's limp body off and saw Carol wielding her machete.

"Thanks for that." Sharon said. Carol extended her hand Sharon pulled herself up.

"Don't mention it." she replied.

"I'm not cut out for this." she told her handing the machete to Sharon.

"None of us a...DUCK!" she yelled. Carol didn't think about it she ducked down. Sharon sliced open the jugular of the zombie sneaking up behind Carol, torrents of blood poured out Sharon using her sleeve shielded her face to avoid getting infected blood in her eyes.

Carol stood back up shirt now soaked in blood, "Seriously!" she exclaimed.

Sharon just shrugged her shoulders in innocence "Sorry"

"Mommy!" Max screamed from down the hall. The gunfire in the living room made it hard to hear anything but Carol heard him. She ran out of the room to find him, Sharon followed.

Coral found him in the bedroom at the end of the hall cornered by one of Them tears rolling down his face. Like a grizzly bear protecting her cub she charged the attacker "Get away from him!" she screamed tackling it into a side table. Grabbing the broken table leg and proceeded to beat it until it stopped moving. She got off it immediately to check on Max.

"You okay?" she asked him. He nodded hugging her.

Sharon stood at the doorway, surprised "You don't seem the type to lose it like that."

Carol looked at her "No one ever messes with my baby." she exclaimed.

Carol began to scream the sound of torn flesh followed, she fell back gripping at the her bite wound then stopped moving. Sharon went next to her, checking for a pulse. Sharon looked over at Max blood dripping from his mouth and she spotted a bite mark on leg he slowly stumbled in her direction. Carol sat up her skin turned gray, blood flowing from her eyes like tears.

Sharon jumped back against the wall machete in hand, "S-Stay back!" she ordered. They ignored her.

"Don't make me do this!" she begged. They still continued toward her, she ran at Them full force...

* * *

I unloaded my pistol slamming in a fresh clip we had successfully repelled the attack, the front lawn littered with dead bodies. Everyone was out of breath

"Well *huff***** that wasn't *huff* so bad." Patrick said.

"Uh-huh." Gary murmured.

"I'll go *huff* check on Sharon." I announced.

They nodded, setting the barricade back up.

I walked down the hall checking each room.

"_Want to bet she didn't make it?" _Drake asked.

"_Do you ever shut up?" _I asked.

Drake sighed _"Fine."_

I peered into the bedroom at the end of the hall. I spotted Sharon sitting up against the wall machete laying next to her, I knelt down beside her "You okay?" I asked.

She didn't say anything looking at the two dead bodies in front of her.

I didn't recognize them, _"Drake, help me out here."_ I asked him.

"_Oh, so now I can talk?" _he asked.

He sighed, _"The women on the right is Carol, Gary's wife and the kid on the left is Max, Gary's son."_

I nearly fell over in shock,_ "Oh crap."_ I thought to myself.

"They wouldn't stop..." Sharon said not looking away from the bodies.

"...They both turned I had to...I had to." Tears began running down her face.

I heard footsteps behind me we both looked up and found Patrick and Gary.

Gary took a few steps toward the bodies looking at them in horror and disbelief. Patrick couldn't believe it either "This can't be happening." he said.

"I'm...so so sorry." she said through her tears.

Gary looked at her, his finger firmly on the shotgun's trigger as if ready to kill her he then exhaled. "I don't blame you." he said. He quickly placed the barrel under his chin and fired his head became part of the ceiling, blew to pieces like a water balloon. His body landing next to his family. All three of us were speechless somewhere in the back of my mind I heard, _"This is better then cable!" _Drake laughed.


	10. What Lies Beneath

_It's hard not to judge a book by its cover, same goes for people._

I slammed the shovel into the wet soil wiping the sweat from my forehead. "That should do it." I announced.

Patrick didn't say a word he just brushed the dirt from his pants and walked back into the house, I followed after him.

Stepping over the dead zombies we made our way into the living room Patrick picked up his knapsack and Gary's shotgun.

"Y'know you could come with us." I offered.

He looked back at me. "Look, I appreciate that you helped me bury them but..." he walked towards the front door, "...you're crazy if you think I'm coming with you two psychos."

He swung open the door, "So I'm just gonna get as far from you guys as possible." He announced. He climbed into his car placing his things in the passenger seat, slamming the door shut, starting up the car and backed out of the driveway.

I ran over to the driver's side and knocked on the window, "Can I at least have some magazines for the Beretta?" I asked.

He sat there for a minute, pondering. "C'mon you've got a goddamn shotgun." I argued.

"Fine." he reluctantly agreed, rolling the window down he handed me 4 clips. "Thanks" I said.

"Might want to check on your girlfriend...not that I care, it's just a suggestion." he replied.

I stood there holding the ammo as he drove away. "She's not my girlfriend." I growled squeezing the clips in anger. I walked back inside the house closing the door behind me; I set the ammo on the kitchen table _"__We __have __to __leave soon.__"_ I thought.

I headed up stairs entering Sharon's room half-expecting her to be in there, she wasn't. I examined the room for our duffle bag, finding it in the corner I opened up the side pocket stuffing my almost empty .357 inside the pocket. I looked over at the bed, _"__Why __does __everything __bad __happen __when __I'm __unconscious?__"_ I wondered. I glanced over at the dresser spotting my locket I quickly ran over to it; dropping the bag.

I held it close, "I wish you guys were here." I said softly. I put the locket back on breathing a sigh of relief, _"__Finally __back __where __it __belongs.__" _

I walked back downstairs, "Sharon, I think we should go." I called out.

No response. I placed my stuff on the kitchen table and went to look for her.

"Sharon?" I called out again. I pulled out my Beretta in case there were Them still roaming. As I neared the room at the end of the hallway I could hear soft crying "Sharon, you okay?" I asked.

"Y-Yeah I'm fine." she answered. I slowly opened the door I found her sitting against the wall, wiping away her tears.

"You sure?" I asked wanting a confirmation. She didn't respond I sighed, _"__Looks __like __I __have __to __console __her.__"_

_"Leave me out of it."_ Drake ordered me.

I put my gun away and sat next to her. "Okay...what's wrong?" I asked.

"It's not fair..." she began.

"...It's not fucking fair"

"You mean what happened?" I wondered. She nodded.

"Didn't you just meet them?" I asked.

"That's not the point!" She snapped. "They were good people who didn't deserve any of this!"

"Okay, okay I'm sorry I-I'm not good at this." I apologized.

"*Sigh* This is a cruel world we live in. Bad stuff happens to good people."

"I know." She agreed.

We sat in silence for a while. She looked at a broken picture frame on the floor showing a photo of Sharon, her Mother, her Father, and her brother.

"Do you remember Jesse, my brother?" she asked.

I thought for a bit, "Yeah I do, he always acted as if he were hyped up on sugar. What happened to him?"

"*Sigh* H-he was shot." she said quietly

"You mean from the robbery? I heard about it in school but then again I don't believe the rumors."

"That's not what really happened."

I looked at her, "What do you mean?"

* * *

She took a deep breath and began:

"_7 years ago on a rainy day Dad was away at a meeting, Mom ran to the supermarket for a bit. It was just me and Jesse bored out of our minds._

"_Hey Sharon, guess what I found." He told me._

"_What?" I asked intrigued._

_He beckoned me towards Mom and Dad's room. They told us over and over again not to go into their room while they were away, but curiosity is a powerful force._

_He showed me a wall safe behind a portrait, funny how we didn't notice it before._

"_Do you know the code?" I asked._

"_Yeah it's the last number of the years the four of us were born in."_

_He punched in the code: 6079, it popped open reveling Mom's emergency funds and Dad's Colt .45 he had for protection. _

"_We shouldn't be doing this." I told him._

_Jesse slowly pulled out the gun. _

"_Think it's loaded?" He asked._

"_I don't want to find out." I said._

_He fumbled with the gun "How do you get the clip out?" he said to himself._

_He accidentally pulled the trigger; the bullet just missed my head._

_My skin turned pale, my muscles locked up, my heart beating so fast I could barely breathe. Jesse scared out of his mind ran to me, "You okay!" he asked._

_He shook me out of it, "You okay!" he asked looking into my eyes._

_I looked down at the gun in his hand, I grabbed at it trying to take it from him to put it back in the safe._

"_Put it back!" I kept yelling. I finally got it away from him but…my finger squeezed the trigger, the force of the gun knocked me down. I looked back up at Jesse his face had gone pale, the blood gushing from the bullet wound as he fell to the ground. _

_I dropped the gun and rushed over to him. He looked at me trying to say something but he kept choking on the blood. His chest stopped moving, I was speechless all I could do was cry. Then I heard the door open I looked back to see my Mother, her expression was that of horror "Jesse!" she screamed._

* * *

"The horror in Jesse's eyes still haunts me to this day. The doctor said the bullet punctured his left lung filling it with blood."

"Holy crap." I said softly.

"Mom and Dad were devastated, Dad dealt with it as best he could, Mom dealt with it through the use of alcohol. She blamed herself for what happened, leaving us alone like that; so she decided to drink away the pain until it was too much to bear she hung herself in the bedroom. I had to undergo years of therapy in order to cope with the incident."

"I-I'm sorry" I said softly.

"Don't pity me." She retorted.

"Sorry."

"Stop it!"

"Okay, but why didn't you just tell me back then?"

"What was I going to say? I killed my brother which in turn caused the suicide of my mother? I didn't want you to avoid me."

"I-Is that why you hate using guns?" I asked.

"Yeah." She quietly said.

I thought back a minute, "Wait a second…"

"How was that a robbery?" I asked.

"Fucking politics that's how!" she blurted out.

"City Council was about to pass some bill on gun ownership y'know for protection. Well if word got out about a council member's child being killed by the gun he owned that would've kept the bill from passing. So they decided to turn it into a robbery that way the people would feel sorry for the child and want to protect their own kids from similar incidents. Instead of admitting the truth, what does my Dad do? He bends over backwards for them."

"When I got older and found this out I just couldn't stand him anymore."

"Holy shit…" I said quietly.

"I killed Jesse it's all my fault." She said burying her face in her hands and began to sob.

I tried to reassure her, "It's not your fault."

"I'm a murderer!" She exclaimed through her tears.

I stood up, grabbing her by the arms, picking her up, "Listen to me you are not a murderer, you got that!" I told her.

"But…"

I interrupted her, "But nothing it was an accident, plain and simple!"

She opened her mouth but no words came out, she just stared back into my eyes.

"Look I'm sorry I really am; I know it was rough for you but we have to move on in life." I told her.

She chuckled, "This coming from someone who can't even let go of his dead girlfriend."

I felt my heart sink I stepped away from her, and left the room without saying a word. Halfway down the hall I felt rush of anger envelop me I sent my fist into the wall, breathing heavily I looked to see one of Them stumbling towards me from the front door I smiled removing my hand from the wall.

"You caught me at a very bad time." I muttered walking toward it. It lunged at me I quickly grabbed its head and slammed it into the kitchen counter I felt my smile grow into an evil one. I just wanted to kill something. I picked it up by the neck with my hands till it was on its knees holding its head I looked into her dead gray eyes.

"Look at you, you used to be someone very beautiful, alive, and healthy but now…heh your nothing but a mindless husk filled with maggots and decaying meat wanting only to feed upon the living to fill your fat gluttonous stomach."

"Isn't that right?" I asked it.

The zombie snarled snapping its jaws at me, "That's what I thought"

I plunged my thumbs into its eye sockets squeezing out its eyes like jelly, blood and maggots spewed from the sockets. In a quick jerk I snapped its neck like a twig; I let the body fall to the floor. I looked at my hands; dirty from the blood. I walked over to the kitchen sink washing them thoroughly with soap.

"Wow, she finally got to you." Drake laughed.

I ignored him, "It's funny. All anyone has to do is being Helen up as a negative and you just lose it."

I grabbed at his collar, "You want to start something or are you too fuckin chicken."

He just smiled, "Alright, that's enough you two." Roy interrupted.

Roy pulled me away from Drake, "Harrison, calm down."

I pulled my arm away and looked at him; He was almost the same as me except he didn't wear glasses or shoes and his hair was short with white tips, wearing a white long sleeve shirt with black sleeves and gray cargo pants.

"So, you're Roy?"

He took a bow "At your service."

"Told you he was fruity." Drake said.

"Up yours, Drake." Roy said flipping him off.

"What do you want?" I asked Roy.

"To keep you from doing something stupid." He responded.

"Don't let the grief consume you."

I looked at him, dumbfounded "What do you mean?"

"I know what you were thinking. It's not worth it, you need to let it go."

"Easy for you to say..." I retorted.

I reached for the glass on the table, "...you didn't have to live with it."

I drank from the glass and immediately spit it out.

"Ugh…what the hell is this stuff?"

"Jack Daniels." Drake said picking up the bottle.

He shrugged his shoulders, "I prefer Bourbon but this'll do." He began to chug the whole thing.

Roy sat up on the counter, "See what I have to deal with here."

I nodded in agreement but noticed something odd about Roy.

"What's wrong with your hand?" I asked.

He looked at his hand some sort of black substance was infecting it.

"What this? This is nothing." He responded.

Drake finished the bottle, "Damn, I'm not even buzzed." He sighed then threw the bottle against floor, breaking it.

Me and Roy glared at him. "What was that?" Sharon asked from down the hall.

"None of your business!" I yelled back.

She didn't respond back.

"That's another thing we have to discuss." Roy started.

I leaned against the counter and folded my arms, "What do you mean?" I asked.

"Go easy on her, she's had it rough."

"So have I..." I said.

"...I watched my parents die in front of me, Helen died in my arms two mouths ago." I added.

"She killed her brother by accident and her mother committed suicide. Not to mention some psychopath just exacerbated the situation by sleeping with her...isn't that right Drake?"

"I don't see the problem there." Drake retorted.

Roy grabbed at his collar, "Do you realize what you've done? She's had a big crush on Stephen since the 3rd grade and you slept with her. She's already messed up now she thinks Stephen loves her, what's that going to do to her mental state if you just break it off; she's going feel used and want to kill us mainly Stephen."

"Hey." I snapped at him.

"Sorry." Roy said.

"Some women like being used." Drake said with a smile.

Roy let him go and bowed his head in disappointment, "God, you're hopeless." He muttered.

"The way I see we have four options:

**1.** We continue with this "I love you" charade and hope she's buys it.

**2.** We kill her before it escalates any further.

**3.** We leave her behind

Or...

**4.** We could use her to our advantage she'll be a valuable ally, she'd probably follow Stephen through Hell if she could." Drake suggested.

Everyone was silent for a while.

"She's a good friend and a good person I don't want to manipulate her. I choose none of the above, instead I'll do what I always do; ignore the problem until later."

"I don't know about that..." Drake began.

"I'll deal with it when it becomes an issue." I growled at him.

I walked up to Drake "If you hurt her in anyway..."

I got up in his face, "...I **will** kill you."

Sharon stepped into the room wearing her leather jumpsuit. "Ready to go?" She asked placing her clean machete back into the sheathe.

I looked back at her, hoping she didn't hear my conversation.

"Yeah..." I responded.

There was an awkward silence for a moment, both of us afraid to break it.

We took a deep breath, "Look..." We said in unison.

Sharon blushed then she sighed, "Look...I-I'm sorry I brought her up I know she meant a lot to you."

"Sharon..." I started.

"It's just...you were always happy with her, you were never that happy around me and that...that just pissed me off but when she died, you changed. You shut everyone out, stopped talking all together. I just wanted things to go back to the way things were. I wanted you to know you still had a friend who still cared. You weren't the only one who went through the death of a loved one." She continued.

I walked up to her and hugged her.

"Please don't change." She whispered.

"I'm alright Sharon. Thank you." I whispered into her ear.

She gently pushed me away, "Okay we got that mopey crap out of the way can we get back to the zombie killing now?" She asked.

"_Finally!__"_ Drake joyously said.

"Yeah..."

"...but can I have my hoodie back?" I asked.

"Sure." She handed me my hoodie. I put it on, still warm from her body.

Sharon headed outside, _"As if Social Anxiety wasn't enough."_ I thought. I grabbed the duffle bag and followed her.

We saw Them roaming the streets. Sharon took out her blade and sliced the closest one's head down the middle. I took aim and fired at Them, caught one of Them in the left eye. Sharon jumped on her bike and started it.

"C'mon let's go." She ordered.

"I thought you wanted to kill some zombies!" I wondered.

"Plenty of Them to kill along the way." She said.

I fired off one more before running to the bike. She peeled out; she swung her machete at Them as we went past. She was laughing the entire time.

* * *

The bus wasn't going anywhere, the street in total gridlock. Everyone was asleep except Bailey and Richard.

"We can't stay on this bus forever." Richard finally said.

"Couldn't agree more." Bailey agreed.

Richard took a deep breath and stood up "Alright everyone wake up!" he ordered. The other woke up.

"This bus isn't going anywhere. We should take our chances and continue on foot towards the park."

"I don't feel like walking through a city with thousands of dead cannibals, its suicide!" Robert blurted out.

"He's right, it's suicide!" Amy joined in.

"If we split up its suicide but if we work together we can make it." Richard argued.

"So who's with me?" He asked.

Lisa shot up next to him, "I'm in."

"Yep." Bailey joined in.

Amy looked at Robert, waiting for his answer.

"Alright..." He reluctantly agreed.

"...But if we die it's on your head." He added.

Richard picked up his crowbar, "With that settled..."

Screams and gunfire interrupted him, everyone looked out the windows.

People ran for their lives, as They made their way through the traffic jam eating anyone who got in their way.

"Well that's our cue." Bailey announced. He opened the bus door, "Let's move!" He ordered.

One by one they quickly exited the bus. Fleeing citizens ran past them. A Goth kid ran into Amy, knocking her down, he fell down with her.

"Shit, sorry!" He apologized looking into her eyes. Enraged, Robert pulled him off her. "Watch where you're going, shithead!" He yelled pushing him down.

"This isn't the time!" Lisa said helping Amy back to her feet. Richard looked back at the incoming horde; They were already at the back of the bus.

Robert looked too "Shit! These fuckers are fast!" Robert yelled.

Richard raised his bat and swung at Them, smashing into its face knocking it back into other zombies buying them some time. "Go!"

Everyone made a run for it, Bailey picked up the Goth kid. "C'mon!" he yelled. He nodded, "Alright."

Further down the road they spotted a police barricade, a mob of panicking citizens trying desperately to get past. Shots rang out as the police fired at them, the mob retaliated.

"Now what!" the Goth kid asked.

"There's no way past without being shot!" He added.

The group looked around, hard to concentrate when everyone is screaming.

Lisa spotted an alley, free of the undead. "There!" She yelled out.

Everyone quickly looked to where she pointed to.

"It's better than nothing!" Bailey said.

As they ran for the alley, Richard looked to see a speeding car on the sidewalk heading in their direction. Zombies were on the windshield blocking the drivers view.

"_Oh __shit!__"_ He thought.

The speeding car hit a guardrail causing it to flip into the air, towards him.

Richard saw that Robert hadn't entered the alley yet, "Move!" he ordered Robert.

Robert looked back and saw the car flying towards them, his legs froze unable to move. Without a moment to lose Richard ran at Robert, he tackled him into the alley just in time. The car smashed into the alley wall missing them by an inch.

The dust settled Richard looked back to see the alley was now blocked they couldn't go back to the streets.

"That was close." He said out of breath.

He looked back at Robert, "You alright?" he asked.

"Yeah." He answered.

Robert looked up at him, "Get off me!" he yelled. Richard got off him, "You owe me one." he said.

"Whatever, I would've dodged it anyway." He boasted.

He picked up his hat, dusting it off, putting it back on.

The others ran to them. "You guys alright?" Bailey asked.

"Yep." They answered.

Everyone looked at the car, "That will keep Them out." Amy announced. They could hear more screaming on the other side followed by more gunfire and an explosion.

"It's like World War Z out there." The Goth kid said.

"Nothing we can do but go forward." Lisa said.

They all nodded in agreement and pressed on.

* * *

The sun shined through the clouds as we roared through the streets it was quieter then yesterday.

"Hey, check it out" Sharon pointed out. Up ahead we spotted an overpass, "That goes to Franklin Street." she added.

"Finally." I murmured.

"What floor does she live on?" she asked. I tried to remember which floor, "Uh-err...3A no...5D...fuck."

"Didn't she tell you?" she moaned.

"...Oh it's 4E." I remembered.

"Let's hope the on-ramp is clear."

As we drew closer it became apparent we weren't alone. They were in our way along with a long line of abandoned cars.

"Every single fucking time!" Sharon screamed in frustration as she slowed to a stop. A loud explosion tore through an office building at the other side of the overpass a few seconds' later people and zombies stumbled out of the building on fire.

"Holy shit!" we exclaimed. A Humvee burst through a fence next to the office parking lot. A tattooed individual popped up, mounted the .50 cal and opened fire on the crowd. They weren't military.

"We should find another way" I suggested. She didn't say anything back, she revved the bike.

"Please tell me you're not going to charge them." I asked praying that she wouldn't.

She quickly looked back at me, "Then get off!" she yelled.

I didn't say anything; it's been a long time since I've heard her scream like that. I hopped off.

She took off in the Humvee's direction.

"_Definitely __a __feisty __one __there.__"_ Drake added.

She began to pick up speed; the occupants of the Humvee were too busy watching the massacre to notice her. Sharon noticed the broken fence in the shape of a ramp, she smiled under her helmet.

"This won't end well." I thought out loud. She hit the make-shift ramp at full speed, the gunner noticed her a little too late as the bike's back wheel came crashing down on top of him crushing his ribs and skull, in that split second Sharon revved the bike as hard as she could. Severing his head and smearing his upper body all over the roof of the truck, his flesh seared off into the suspension, his severed head fell into the truck his body gave her enough momentum to jump off the Humvee. We could hear screams coming from the vehicle.

She made her way back, she flipped up her visor "How was that?" she asked.

Before I could answer the sound of tires screeching interrupted me, we saw the Humvee heading in our direction.

"Hurry, get your sweet ass on!" Sharon ordered. I pretended I didn't hear that last part as I quickly jumped on and held on tight.

A new gunner popped up. Before we knew it they opened fire on us, my heart jumped out of my chest as the bullets whipped past us. "What now!" I asked gripping her tighter.

Sharon was unusually calm, "Hang on!" she yelled. She pulled the handbrake to execute a sharp U-turn we were now facing the Humvee (which also stopped). Both vehicles stared down each other revving their engines. "Time to play chicken." Sharon said with excitement.

"Oh for fucks sake." I moaned.

Both vehicles peeled out, Sharon showed off by popping a wheelie. As we picked up more speed the Humvee fired at us again, "Cheaters!" Sharon screamed. The bullets flew past us I was shocked we weren't hit yet. I spotted an empty semi car hauler conveniently made into a ramp gave me an idea.

"Sharon!" I yelled to her.

"What!"

"Hit that ramp! If we go fast enough we can make it onto the overpass!"

"If I turn the bullets will tear us to shreds!" She argued.

"I got that covered" I reassured her. I pulled out the Beretta and began firing at the gunner. They stopped firing. "Alright, hang on!"

We hit the ramp at full force launching us into the air I almost felt weight-less with a tickling sensation in the pit of my stomach. I think the occupants inside the Humvee were watching us in amazement. Sharon looked back at me I couldn't tell her expression because of her helmet but I think she was smiling. It's funny how the mind can process thousands of thoughts in a second. As we grew closer to the overpass I realized I should've thought this through more. The front tire smashed into the guardrail the shock caused Sharon to let go of the bike, propelling us over the handlebars I let go of her. She flipped over hitting the divider upside down, falling onto her side. I flew over the divider, my shoulder smashing into it only to hit an abandon car on the other side. My body dented the car door the duffle bag kept me from breaking my spine, the back of my head smacked into the window sending me into a daze I looked up just in time to see the motorcycle miss me, flipping off the overpass and onto the streets below, I heard an explosion shortly after.

I sat up against the car my entire body ached as I grunted in pain I felt blood drip down the back of my neck, the taste of blood inside my mouth. I felt sleepy I glanced over at my side and found my Beretta still in my hand, "You could end it." A voice said.

I looked to find Helen kneeling next to me, "End it, end the pain and be with me." She begged.

"Here…" she helped me pull the gun up towards my head. "…just like that" she smiled.

"_Fuck __that!__" _Drake yelled. My hand stopped halfway there Helen kept trying to pull it. Drake kept the hand from moving _"__Don__'__t __let __her __control __you_!" he told me. My hand began to tremble from them trying to control it, the barrel of the gun touching my head. I smiled; my finger clinched the trigger I shot my arm straight up firing up into the air.

"_Sorry __bitch, __better __luck __next __time.__" _Drake laughed. Helen bit her tongue in anger.

Sharon heard the shot; she sat up holding her side "Steve." She whispered fearing for his life. Quickly getting to her feet she spotted me against the car, she threw off her helmet, climbed over the barrier and ran to my side "You okay?" she asked frantically.

"Just freaking dandy." I told her. "The back of my head is bleeding, I think I broke something, my right shoulder hurts like hell."

"Can you walk?" she asked.

"Maybe."

She took the duffle bag off me putting her arm around me, propping me up against the car. She opened the bag, pulled out a roll of gauze and gently placed it against the wound.

"There, keep pressure on it." She ordered. I did as she instructed.

"Think they'll come after us?" I asked her.

"Doubt it; the on-ramp was packed with cars not to mention the undead." She pointed out.

"Sorry about the bike." I apologized.

"*Sigh* It's not a problem. I care about you more than a piece of machinery, No matter how cool it was, or the fact that I worked on it for 4 years putting my life savings into it just to see it fly off an overpass. *Sigh* But as long as you're still with me I have all I need." She drifted off.

I let out a nervous smile.

She shook herself awake "Anyway, let me see that arm." She said.

"Ah don't pull on it!" I said through the pain.

She slowly moved it toward my chest getting it into a position that wasn't painful.

She examined it carefully, "Don't worry it's not broken, just dislocated."

"Can you fix it?" I asked.

"I've seen this before." She tried to reassure me.

"Really?" I wondered.

"Yep I've…" She looked behind me, "What the hell is that?" she exclaimed.

"What?" I asked looking to where she was pointing to.

"_Uh-oh__"_ Drake muttered.

Sharon quickly pulled at my arm popping the shoulder back into place. I let out a load scream before passing out; she wasn't surprised. He fell against Sharon, she in turn hugged him. She put the duffle bag over her shoulder taking the gun from Stephen's hand she placed it in his hoodie pocket, picking him up in a support carry.

She laughed, "Y'know for a skinny guy you're heavy."

She looked over at the road ahead, "Let's find that damn apartment." She said walking down the deserted highway.


End file.
